Pleural Mesothelioma in Women is Associated with Environmental Exposure to Asbestos

Mesothelioma Exposures in Women
To determine whether local environmental exposure to asbestos in the community of Hof van Twente, Netherlands (which houses a large asbestos cement facility and has a serious environmental asbestos pollution problem), is accompanied by an increased mortality due to pleural mesothelioma among women. Design: A descriptive, ecological-epidemiological study. Method: 29 women with a verified diagnosis of pleural mesothelioma were selected from 810 requests for compensation submitted to a specialized lawyers' office in the period 1990-2002. Information on asbestos exposure from occupational, household, environmental or unknown sources was obtained. The place of residence was compared to information on sources of asbestos in the immediate environment derived from the settlement 'Asbestos removal in the environment.' The expected number of cases of pleural mesothelioma among women was estimated on the basis of the observed mortality in the Netherlands in the period 1996-2002. A standardized mortality ratio (SMR) was calculated as the ratio of observed cases divided by the number of expected cases of pleural mesothelioma × 100. Results: In total, 5 cases of pleural mesothelioma were identified among women without occupational or household exposure to asbestos. The age at diagnosis varied from 38 to 81 years. Each case was exposed to asbestos in the direct vicinity of the residence through walking and cycling over local roads metalled with asbestos cement scrap material. The expected number of cases of mortality due to pleural mesothelioma in the town of Hof van Twente for the period 1996-2002 was about 0.46. The SMR was 1090 (95% CI: 465-2551), indicating a 10-fold increase in risk. Conclusion: The increased mortality of pleural mesothelioma was most probably due to environmental exposure to asbestos. This finding agrees with comparable studies in other countries.

by Burdorf, A., Dahhan, M., Swuste, P. H. J. J.

Mesothelioma Cancer Risk Among Women

Mesothelioma, can also risk for Women.
The women who are at risk for developing mesothelioma cancer are those who:

• worked in industries that used asbestos
• have a husband, father, or other family member who worked with asbestos
• lived in communities that had asbestos-contaminated air, soil, or water

These primary and secondary types of exposure to asbestos cancer have resulted in thousands of women at risk of contracting mesothelioma, asbestosis, and lung cancer.
Women Exposed to Asbestos
In the decades before the cancer-causing properties of asbestos were confirmed, hundreds of products causing asbestos cancer were manufactured and distributed for use across the United States and around the world. Asbestos was thought of as a kind of miracle material that was flame-, fire-, and friction-resistant ─ an excellent insulator used in various forms and applications to which essentially everyone was exposed.
Women's Secondary Exposure
Although the ratio of men to women with mesothelioma is about three to one, the numbers of cases of mesothelioma among women is rising. Secondary (secondhand) exposure to asbestos is more common among women than the primary (direct) exposure that so many male workers have suffered.

In many documented cases of mesothelioma among women, the asbestos exposure was from the microscopic fibers of asbestos that were brought home on the work clothes of men who worked in an asbestos-related industry:

• Asbestos mines
• Asbestos product manufacturers
• Shipyards
• Steel mills
• Rail yards
• Refineries
• Power plants
  

Difficult to Diagnose Mesothelioma Cancer in Women

Mesothelioma cancer is such a rare disease that not all doctors are able to diagnose it. To make matters worse, physicians often miss it as a diagnosis in female patients because the disease is especially rare in women. Women who have been exposed to asbestos either directly or by way of a loved one should inform their physician, particularly if they are experiencing any abnormal symptoms.

from mesothelioma treatments center.org

Malignant Mesothelioma in Women

Malignant mesothelioma reportedly shows different epidemiology and pathology in females, and a proportion are believed to arise spontaneously. METHODS: One hundred and seventy seven cases of malignant mesothelioma in females were reviewed, examined by histochemistry and immunohistochemistry, assessed for asbestosis and lung fibre burden by transmission electron microscopy with energy dispersive x ray analysis, and compared with 31 female controls. RESULTS: Two of one hundred and three cases tested for carcinoembryonic antigen were positive and were excluded from further analysis. Tumour cases showed increased amphibole burdens; in those in whom exposure information was known, 74 (80%) of 93 patients had a history of exposure to asbestos. Seventy two (47%) of 152 patients had lung fibrosis. Tumour site and histological type were little different from those reported in adult males. Mixed type histological pattern, lung fibrosis, and peritoneal site were associated with heavier lung asbestos burdens, but not exclusively. Thirty five (30%) of 117 patients had amphibole burdens of less than 2 x 10(6) fibres/g; the sites affected and the histological pattern of tumours in this group were similar to those in cases with amphibole fibre counts of > or = 2 x 10(6)/g lung. A higher lung amphibole burden than the mean burden in control females was found in 115 (98%) of 117 patients tested. CONCLUSIONS: The pathology of malignant mesothelioma appears to be similar in women and in men, and in cases associated and unassociated with asbestos.

by A Dawson, A R Gibbs, F D Pooley, D M Griffiths and J Hoy
Department of Histopathology, Llandough Hospital, Penarth, South Glamorgan, UK.