Premium
Malignant mesothelioma from neighborhood exposure to anthophyllite asbestos
Author(s) -
Rom William N.,
Hammar Samuel P.,
Rusch Valerie,
Dodson Ron,
Hoffman Shepard
Publication year - 2001
Publication title -
american journal of industrial medicine
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.7
H-Index - 104
eISSN - 1097-0274
pISSN - 0271-3586
DOI - 10.1002/ajim.1089
Subject(s) - medicine , mesothelioma , asbestos , asbestosis , lung cancer , pathology , carcinoembryonic antigen , lung , dermatology , cancer , materials science , metallurgy
Background Anthophyllite asbestos has been reported to cause asbestosis, lung cancer, mesothelioma, and pleural plaques in occupationally exposed workers. Anthophyllite has also been associated with pleural plaques in Finland and Japan among those who live near mines and mills and have neighborhood or environmental exposure. Methods We evaluated a 38‐year‐old patient with pleural mesothelioma who lived, attended school, and delivered newspapers near a manufacturing facility that used exclusively anthophyllite asbestos fiber from ages 8–17 years. He had no work exposure to asbestos. Results The pleural mesothelioma was an epithelial type with tubulopapillary structures and was treated with an extrapleural pneumonectomy followed by radiation therapy. The malignant cells were positive by immunohistochemistry for cytokeratin but negative for carcinoembryonic antigen, S100, B72.3, and leu M1 antigen. Anthophyllite fibers were > 5 μm in length in lung tissue compared to 3 μm from a general population study. Conclusions Anthophyllite asbestos has been associated with neighborhood environmental exposure and pleural plaques; we now report a neighborhood exposure and pleural mesothelioma. Am. J. Ind. Med. 40:211–214, 2001. © 2001 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.