[Occupational exposure to asbestos and recognition of pleural mesothelioma as occupational disease in the province of Genoa].
The present study compares the data of pleural mesothelioma (PM) patients resident in the province of Genoa (Italy) who, in the period 1994-1996, applied to the Italian National Insurance Institute for Work Accident (INAIL), for workers' compensation for asbestos-related diseases due to occupational exposure, with the dataset of PM patients collected by the Mesothelioma Registry of Liguria (REM) in the same period and in the same area. As PM is a malignant tumor of a prevalently occupational origin, it is recognized and acknowledged as such by INAIL when clinical and etiological characteristics are matched. Objectives of this study were to describe observed PM cases, to evaluate completeness of collected data and differences between those who requested compensation and those who did not. The REM describes the incidence of PM among Ligurian residents, proposing patients with a specific questionnaire to assess occupational, environmental and indoor asbestos exposures. The REM collected 199 new cases of PM among the residents of both the city of Genoa (1994-96) and the province of Genoa (1995-96). In the same period, INAIL received 48 (24%) applications for compensation. Among these, 43 subjects were included in a subgroup of 98 patients registered in the REM as cases with definite diagnosis and ascertained asbestos exposure; 32 were awarded compensation, while 11 are under evaluation. The data collected by REM do not show proven asbestos exposure and/or PM diagnosis for five other subjects (two compensated and three under judgment). This study reveals that: a) only a 24% of the patients with a diagnosis of PM and asbestos exposure apply for compensation; b) an exchange of information among institutions involved in primary prevention, in the evaluation of occupational exposures to carcinogens and in insurance compensation is useful.
Montanaro
F
F
Registro Mesoteliomi della Liguria (REM), c/o Servizio di epidemiologia ambientale, Istituto nazionale per la ricerca sul cancro (IST), Genova.
Vitto
V
V
Lagattolla
N
N
Lazzarotto
A
A
Bianchelli
M
M
Puntoni
R
R
Gennaro
V
V
D000368:Aged; D001195:Asbestosis / Q000150:complications*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007558:Italy; D008297:Male; D008654:Mesothelioma / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000209:etiology; D008875:Middle Aged; D016273:Occupational Exposure / Q000009:adverse effects*; D010997:Pleural Neoplasms / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000209:etiology; D014942:Workers' Compensation