[A study on risk of malignant neoplasm and environmental exposure to crocidolite].
OBJECTIVE
To explore the risk of developing malignant neoplasm in a cohort with the history of environmental exposure to crocidolite asbestos.


METHODS
A retrospective cohort and follow-up study covering 15 years (1987 --> 1995 --> 2001) was carrid out in a small town in Yunnan province. The cohort comprised 6254 local inhabitants. The deaths from and the RR of asbestos-related malignant neoplasms were studied.


RESULTS
There were 186 deaths from neoplasms in the observation group, the mortality being 2160.5 per 10(6) person-years (RR=1.293, 95%CI: 1.032-1.618), 20 of those deaths were caused by mesothelioma, with a crude mortality of 232.3 per 10(6) person-years (RR=17.929; 95%CI: 2.406-133.592). The mortalities for men and women were 267.5 and 186.7 per 10(6) person-years respectively. The crude mortality from lung cancer (56 deaths) was 650.5 per 10(6) person-years,there is no significance between the two groups (RR=1.434; 95%CI: 0.968-2.486). The difference in mortality from gastrointestinal cancer between the two groups is not significant, whereas the risk of man intestinal cancer in the observation is significant (RR=3.71; 95%CI: 1.077-13.270).


CONCLUSIONS
The risk of developing mesothelioma is significantly increased in the population with environmental exposure to crocidolite. The risk of man intestinal cancer in the town awaits additional studies.
Luo
Su-qiong
SQ
Department of Occupational Medicine, West China School of Public Health, Sichuan University, Chengdu 610041, China.
Mu
Shi-hui
SH
Wang
Jin-tao
JT
Zhang
Yi
Y
Wen
Qi-bang
QB
Cai
Shan-pu
SP
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D017638:Asbestos, Crocidolite / Q000009:adverse effects*; D002681:China / Q000453:epidemiology; D015331:Cohort Studies; D004781:Environmental Exposure / Q000009:adverse effects*; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D008175:Lung Neoplasms / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000209:etiology / Q000401:mortality; D008297:Male; D008654:Mesothelioma / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000209:etiology / Q000401:mortality; D008875:Middle Aged; D010997:Pleural Neoplasms / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000209:etiology / Q000401:mortality; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012307:Risk Factors
D017638:Asbestos, Crocidolite