Occupational asbestos exposure and risk of pleural mesothelioma, lung cancer, and laryngeal cancer in the prospective netherlands cohort study
article
OBJECTIVE:: To study the association between occupational asbestos exposure and pleural mesothelioma, lung cancer, and laryngeal cancer, specifically addressing risk associated with the lower end of the exposure distribution, risk of cancer subtypes, and the interaction between asbestos and smoking. METHODS:: Using the Netherlands Cohort Study (n = 58,279 men, aged 55 to 69 years), asbestos exposure was estimated by linkage to job-exposure matrices. After 17.3 years of follow-up, 132 pleural mesothelioma, 2324 lung cancer, and 166 laryngeal cancer cases were available. RESULTS:: The multivariable-adjusted model showed overall positive associations between all levels of asbestos exposure and mesothelioma, lung cancer, and laryngeal cancer. Lung adenocarcinoma and glottis cancer showed only a positive association after prolonged higher asbestos exposure (hazard ratio per 10 years increment, 1.43 [95% confidence interval, 1.06 to 1.93] and 1.95 [95% confidence interval, 1.36 to 2.80], respectively). There was no statistically significant interaction between asbestos and smoking. CONCLUSIONS:: Asbestos levels encountered at the lower end of the exposure distribution may be associated with an increased risk of pleural mesothelioma, lung cancer, and laryngeal cancer. © 2013 by American College of Occupational and Environmental Medicine.
TNO Identifier
489127
ISSN
10762752
Source
Journal of Occupational and Environmental Medicine, 56(1), pp. 6-19.
Pages
6-19
Files
To receive the publication files, please send an e-mail request to TNO Repository.