title: Mesotheliomas in Lebanon: Witnessing a Change in Epidemiology.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Mesotheliomas are relatively rare tumors in Lebanon. The only previous study goes back to 14 years ago, when we published epidemiological characteristics of mesotheliomas in Lebanon, showing that the pleural location accounted for the vast majority of cases, with clear evidence of asbestos exposure from the Eternit factory of Chekka region. The objective of this current study was to estimate the incidence of mesothelioma in the past decade and to identify its epidemiological, clinical and therapeutic characteristics, making comparisons with our first study published in 2001.
  
  
  METHODS
  Between 2002 and 2014, patients diagnosed with malignant mesothelioma at Hotel-Dieu de France University Hospital were investigated. Epidemiological data focusing on asbestos exposure history were collected from medical records and interviews with the families.
  
  
  RESULTS
  A total of 26 patients were diagnosed with mesothelioma, 21 of which were successfully investigated. The mean age of these 21 patients is 62.5 (19-82). Only 3 (14.29%) are women. 18 (85.71%) were smokers. Among the 21 available mesotheliomas, 15 (71.4%) are pleural, while 5 (23.8%) are peritoneal and 1 (4.8%) pericardial. Only 60% of patients with pleural mesothelioma and 50% of those with an obvious exposure to asbestos lived and/or worked in Chekka region. The mean time of asbestos exposure in patients with mesothelioma is 24.5 (1-50) years and the mean latency is 37.4 (4-61) years. Of the 21 patients, 10 (47.6%) underwent surgery during their treatment, 16 (76.2%) received chemotherapy and 3 (14.3%) received best supportive care.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Compared to the previous study (1991-2000), substantial changes in the epidemiology of mesothelioma in Lebanon were observed, such as an increase in peritoneal localizations and a lower correlation with Chekka region asbestos contamination.
authors.affiliation: Department of Hematology-Oncology, Hotel-Dieu de France University Hospital, Faculty of Medicine, Saint Joseph University, Beirut, Lebanon E-mail : roland.eid@net.usj.edu.lb.
authors.forename: Joseph
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Kattan
authors.forename: Roland
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Eid
authors.forename: Hampig Raphael
authors.initials: HR
authors.lastname: Kourie
authors.forename: Fadi
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Farhat
authors.forename: Marwan
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Ghosn
authors.forename: Claude
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Ghorra
authors.forename: Roland
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Tomb
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D001194:Asbestos / Q000009:adverse effects; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D015994:Incidence; D007861:Lebanon / Q000453:epidemiology; D008175:Lung Neoplasms / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000473:pathology*; D008297:Male; D008654:Mesothelioma / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000473:pathology*; D000086002:Mesothelioma, Malignant; D008875:Middle Aged; D016273:Occupational Exposure / Q000009:adverse effects; D010534:Peritoneal Neoplasms / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000473:pathology; D010537:Peritoneum / Q000473:pathology; D010994:Pleura / Q000473:pathology; D010997:Pleural Neoplasms / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000473:pathology; D012189:Retrospective Studies
chemical_list: D001194:Asbestos