Characterization of a French series of female cases of mesothelioma.
BACKGROUND
More than 80% of mesothelioma cases in men are attributable to occupational asbestos exposure compared to only 40% in women. The objective of the study was to characterize a series of female pleural mesotheliomas according to known and suspected risk factors.


METHODS
From the exhaustive recording of 318 female mesothelioma cases in the French National Mesothelioma Surveillance Program between 1998 and 2009, multiple correspondence analysis and hybrid clustering were performed to characterize these cases according to expert assessed occupational and non-occupational exposure to asbestos and man-made vitreous fibers, X-ray exposure, and history of cancer and non-malignant respiratory diseases.


RESULTS
Four clusters were identified: (1) occupational exposure to asbestos and man-made vitreous fibers (7.9% of subjects); (2) radiation exposure during radiotherapy (12.9%); (3) increased asbestos exposure (19.8%); and (4) "non-exposure" characteristics (59.4%).


CONCLUSIONS
These results will allow hypotheses to be generated about associations between mesothelioma and non-occupational asbestos exposure, X-ray exposure and history of respiratory disease.
Univ. Bordeaux, ISPED, Centre INSERM U897-Epidemiologie-Biostatistique Equipe sante environnement, F-33000, Bordeaux, France; INSERM, ISPED, Centre INSERM U897-Epidemiologie-Biostatistique, Equipe sante environnement, F-33000, Bordeaux, France; Univ. Bordeaux, ISPED, Equipe Associee en Sante Travail, F-33000, Bordeaux, France.
Elodie
E
Camiade
Celine
C
Gramond
Marthe-Aline
MA
Jutand
Sabyne
S
Audignon
Mickael
M
Rinaldo
Ellen
E
Imbernon
Daniele
D
Luce
Francoise
F
Galateau-Sallé
Philippe
P
Astoul
Jean-Claude
JC
Pairon
Patrick
P
Brochard
Aude
A
Lacourt
D000368:Aged; D001194:Asbestos / Q000506:poisoning*; D002273:Carcinogens; D015984:Causality; D004781:Environmental Exposure / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D005260:Female; D005602:France / Q000453:epidemiology; D006801:Humans; D008654:Mesothelioma / Q000453:epidemiology*; D008875:Middle Aged; D009381:Neoplasms, Radiation-Induced / Q000453:epidemiology*; D009784:Occupational Diseases / Q000453:epidemiology*; D016273:Occupational Exposure / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D010997:Pleural Neoplasms / Q000453:epidemiology*; D011878:Radiotherapy / Q000009:adverse effects; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012307:Risk Factors; D014965:X-Rays / Q000009:adverse effects
D002273:Carcinogens; D001194:Asbestos
asbestos; environmental exposure; mesothelioma; women