Descriptive Features of Mesothelioma Cases Diagnosed in a Special Hospital in Ankara and Assessment of Domestic Environmental Exposure to Asbestosis and Erionite: Preliminary Results
Abstract
Background: Unlike Western countries where asbestosis and erionite exposure is industrial, domestic exposure of these chriystals is common in central and eastern Turkey where they are used as a constrcution material for houses. This life-long exposure to these materials has been showed to be causing endemies of mesothelioma at younger ages in central Turkey. In this study it was aimed to assess the descriptive features of malignant mesothelioma cases and evaluate the domestic exposure of asbestosis and erionite. Method: Data were obtained through retrospective reviewing of the patient files of a pulmonary disease hospital in Ankara. Demographical features such as age, gender, the place of birth, migration and living, age of diagnosis and some clinical features were evaluated. Results: A total of 44 files of patients diagnosed with malignant mesothelioma were screened. The female to male ratio was 19/25. Of the patients 43 (97 %) were born in asbestosis-rich and only one (3 %)was born in erionite-rich region. All of the patients had resided in asbestosis-rich regions where they were born and the places where some of the patients moved were known to be rich for asbestosis as well. The age of diagnosis was between 32 and 78 years and the median age of diagnosis was 54,5 years. Family history of malignancy was negative in 39 patients (88.6%) and was positive in 5 patients (11.4%). History for smoking was 40.9%. The 81.1 % of the patients applied with the complaint of dispnea; 48.8 % with cough and 45.5 % with chest pain. Median time period between the date of disease onset and diagnosis was 91 days. The most rapid diagnosis was made as early as 28 days. Pleural fluid was seen in 95.5 % while pleural thickening was seen in 29,5 % of the patients. Respiratory funcitons were found to be deteriorated in 86.4 %. The histological types of epitheloid and mixt mesothelioma were seen with the percentages of 69 % and 31 % respectively. Conclusion: This was a descriptive study. Nearly all the patients of our cohort were all residing in regions known to be rich for asbestosis. Only one patient was from erionite-rich region. Erionite and mesothelioma relation has recently been described and there is not much known about erionite and the regions rich with it. Therefore it is important to conduct new studies considering erionite and its effects on mesothelioma development.
- Publication:
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AGU Spring Meeting Abstracts
- Pub Date:
- May 2013
- Bibcode:
- 2013AGUSM.B34A..03D
- Keywords:
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- 0468 BIOGEOSCIENCES / Natural hazards