Asbestos and peritoneal mesothelioma among college-educated men.
The proportion of peritoneal mesotheliomas among all mesotheliomas has been decreasing, leading some to suggest that peritoneal mesothelioma occurs only after high levels of exposure to asbestos. To investigate the relationship between asbestos exposure and the development of peritoneal mesothelioma, a case-control study examined 40 cases of primary peritoneal mesothelioma from a single institution. This series differed from previous reports in that 75% of the cases and controls had attended college. Results show an odds ratio of 6.6 for asbestos exposure among this group of primary peritoneal mesothelioma cases with relatively slight asbestos exposures.
Welch
Laura S
LS
Center to Protect Workers' Rights, Silver Spring, Maryland 20910, USA. lwelch@cpwr.com
Acherman
Yair I Z
YI
Haile
Elizabeth
E
Sokas
Rosemary K
RK
Sugarbaker
Paul H
PH
D001194:Asbestos / Q000633:toxicity*; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D004219:District of Columbia / Q000453:epidemiology; D004522:Educational Status; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008654:Mesothelioma / Q000139:chemically induced / Q000453:epidemiology*; D008875:Middle Aged; D010534:Peritoneal Neoplasms / Q000139:chemically induced / Q000453:epidemiology*; D014495:Universities
D001194:Asbestos