Risk of mesothelioma and occupational exposure to asbestos and man-made vitreous fibers: evidence from two case-control studies in Montreal, Canada.
OBJECTIVE
To examine the effects of exposure to occupational asbestos and man-made vitreous fibers (MMVF) across a wide range of occupations on risk of mesothelioma.


METHODS
Two population-based case-control studies (1979-1986 and 1996-2001) provided 35 histologically confirmed mesothelioma cases and 1965 controls. A detailed job history was obtained to evaluate occupational exposure to many agents, including asbestos and MMVF.


RESULTS
The mesothelioma odds ratio for exposure to any asbestos type was 3.7 (95% confidence interval = 1.7 to 7.8). The subset exposed to amphibole fibers experienced an odds ratio = 7.0 (95% confidence interval = 2.7 to 18.5). Effects of MMVF could not be disentangled from those of asbestos.


CONCLUSIONS
In workers with exposure levels lower than in most historical cohort studies and across a wide range of industries, a strong association was found between asbestos, especially when it was amphibole, and mesothelioma.
Pintos
Javier
J
INRS-Institut Armand-Frappier, Unit of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, Laval, Quebec, Canada. javier.pintos@iaf.inrs.ca
Parent
Marie-Elise
ME
Case
Bruce W
BW
Rousseau
Marie-Claude
MC
Siemiatycki
Jack
J
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001194:Asbestos / Q000009:adverse effects*; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D005260:Female; D005898:Glass; D006801:Humans; D008175:Lung Neoplasms / Q000209:etiology*; D008297:Male; D008654:Mesothelioma / Q000209:etiology*; D008875:Middle Aged; D019016:Mineral Fibers / Q000009:adverse effects*; D016273:Occupational Exposure / Q000009:adverse effects*; D016017:Odds Ratio; D011792:Quebec
D019016:Mineral Fibers; C009753:fiberglass; D001194:Asbestos