In een onderzoek onder totaal 2205 mannelijke longkankerpatiënten uit het Verenigd Koninkrijk en zes centraal- en midden europese landen werd alleen bij Britse patiënten een relatie met asbest in het werk gevonden, terwijl ook patiënten uit de andere landen via hun werk met asbest in aanraking waren geweest. Dit komt, volgens de onderzoekers, waarschijnlijk vooral door de hogere blootstellingsintensiteit. De meeste Britse patiënten hadden op scheepswerven gewerkt en waren daar aan grotere hoeveelheden asbest blootgesteld dan de patiënten uit de andere landen, waarvan het grootste deel als automonteur had gewerkt. Carel, R. et.al. (2006). Occupational exposure to asbestos and man-made vitreous fibres and risk of lung cancer: a multicenter case-control study in Europe. Occupational Environmental Medicine, 19 oct 06.
Carel, R. et.al. (2006). Occupational exposure to asbestos and man-made vitreous fibres and risk of lung cancer: a multicenter case-control study in Europe. Occupational Environmental Medicine, 19 oct 06.
Abstract
Objectives: To investigate the contribution of occupational exposure to asbestos and manmade vitreous fibres (MMVF) to lung cancer in high-risk populations in Europe.
Methods: A multi-center case-control study was conducted in six Central and Eastern
European countries and the UK, during the period 1998-2002. Comprehensive occupational
and socio-demographic information was collected from 2205 newly diagnosed male lung
cancer cases and 2305 frequency matched controls. Odds ratios (OR) of lung cancer were
calculated after adjusting for other relevant occupational exposures and tobacco smoking.
Results: The OR for asbestos exposure was 0.92 (95% confidence interval (CI) 0.73-1.15)
in Central and Eastern Europe and 1.85 (95%CI 1.07-3.21) in the UK. Similar OR were found
for exposure to amphibole asbestos. The OR for MMVF exposure was 1.23 (95%CI 0.88-
1.71) with no evidence of heterogeneity by country. No synergistic effect either between
asbestos and MMVF or between any of them and smoking was found.
Conclusion: In this large community-based study occupational exposure to asbestos and
MMVF does not appear to contribute to the lung cancer burden in men in Central and
Eastern Europe. In contrast, in the UK we found an increased risk of lung cancer following
exposure to asbestos. Differences in fibre type and circumstances of exposure may explain
our results.