Environment and occupation as risk factors in a group of mesothelioma patients

ABSTRACT

This work studies the effect of environmental and occupational exposures on a group of mesothelioma patients from the National Cancer Institute in Cairo, Egypt, as well as their effects on certain pulmonary function tests. From October 1997 through April 1998, twenty-two mesothelioma patients were interviewed and examined. Information was collected about sociodemographic characteristics. Also, the subjects' environmental and occupational exposures were investigated. These patients were diagnosed pathologically by biopsy from the tumor site. Computerized Tomography scanning of chest was done to all patients. Pulmonary function tests including ventilatory functions, diffusion tests and blood gases were done to all patients. Fifty nine percent of are living in El Maasara near to the large factory using asbestos cement. I.e. [residential exposure]. On trying to find out the effect of combined risk factors [occupation and environment] on the occurrence of the disease, it was found that those patients with combined risks complain at an earlier age period with a mean of [40 +/- 11.66] years in comparison to the other groups with no statistically significant difference. Patients with occupational and environmental risks had the least occupational duration than the other groups and the difference was statistically significant. By C T scan, 63.64% of cases had right pleural effusion and 36.63% had left pleural effusion. Ventilatory function tests showed that 45.45% of cases had restrictive pattern, 36.37% had combined restriction arid obstruction, and 18.18% had an obstructive pattern. Diffusion test using carbon monoxide [DL co] showed diffusion defects in 80.95% of the examined group., Blood gases show a decrease in the Pa O2 with a mean of [74.73% - 9.15]. Although we are able to identify clear residential exposure to asbestos in 60% of cases, other cases [40%] could be exposed to other risk factors as viruses, erionite and ionizing radiation