Environmental asbestosis complicated by lung cancer.
Diagnosis of asbestosis and bronchiolo-alveolar carcinoma was made in a 55-year-old Turkish woman who was a nonsmoker. She originated from and was living in an area with a high prevalence of environmental diseases attributed to tremolite asbestos. Mineralogic analysis of lung tissue revealed very high concentrations of asbestos bodies (1.64 x 10(6)/g of dry tissue) and tremolite fibers (173.7 x 10(6) of dry tissue). This case illustrates the following points: (1) In some areas, environmental exposure can lead to cumulated fiber retention comparable to occupational exposure and thus can represent a risk for lung fibrosis (asbestosis). (2) Lung cancer as a complication of environmental asbestosis also should be considered as a potential environmental disease.
De Vuyst
P
P
Chest and Pathology Department, Erasme Hospital, University of Brussels, Belgium.
Dumortier
P
P
Jacobovitz
D
D
Emri
S
S
Cöplü
L
L
Baris
Y I
YI
D002282:Adenocarcinoma, Bronchiolo-Alveolar / Q000209:etiology* / Q000473:pathology; D017636:Asbestos, Amphibole / Q000009:adverse effects*; D001195:Asbestosis / Q000150:complications* / Q000473:pathology; D004781:Environmental Exposure; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008175:Lung Neoplasms / Q000209:etiology* / Q000473:pathology; D008875:Middle Aged
D017636:Asbestos, Amphibole; C005846:tremolite