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Published in: International Archives of Occupational and Environmental Health 7/2018

01-10-2018 | Original Article

Cancer incidence in a cohort of asbestos-exposed workers undergoing health surveillance

Authors: Fabiano Barbiero, Tina Zanin, Federica E. Pisa, Anica Casetta, Valentina Rosolen, Manuela Giangreco, Corrado Negro, Massimo Bovenzi, Fabio Barbone

Published in: International Archives of Occupational and Environmental Health | Issue 7/2018

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Abstract

Objectives

To compare a local cohort of 2488 men occupationally exposed to asbestos and enrolled in a public health surveillance program with the 1995–2009 cancer incidence of the general population of Friuli Venezia Giulia (FVG) region, Northeast Italy, we conducted a historical cohort study.

Methods

Standardized incidence ratios (SIRs), with 95% confidence interval (95% CI), for specific cancer sites were estimated in the cohort and in subgroups of workers employed in shipbuilding between 1974 and 1994. For internal comparisons, we calculated incidence rate ratios (IRRs) for all cancers, lung cancer and mesothelioma, by level of exposure to asbestos and sector of employment adjusted for smoking habits and age at start of follow-up.

Results

Among cohort members the SIR was 8.82 (95% CI 5.95–12.61) for mesothelioma and 1.61 (95% CI 1.26–2.04) for lung cancer. In subgroup analyses, the SIR for lung cancer in subjects hired in shipbuilding between 1974 and 1984 was 2.09 (95% CI 1.32–3.13). In the overall cohort, a borderline increased incidence was also found for stomach cancer (SIR = 1.53 95% CI 0.96–2.31). Internal comparisons within the cohort show that among men with high asbestos exposure level the relative risk was almost threefold for lung cancer (IRR = 2.94 95% CI 1.01–8.57).

Conclusions

This cohort experienced an excess in the incidence of both mesothelioma and lung cancer, showing increasing incidence rates at higher level of asbestos exposure. For lung cancer, the relative incidence was highest among workers hired in shipbuilding between 1974 and 1984.
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Metadata
Title
Cancer incidence in a cohort of asbestos-exposed workers undergoing health surveillance
Authors
Fabiano Barbiero
Tina Zanin
Federica E. Pisa
Anica Casetta
Valentina Rosolen
Manuela Giangreco
Corrado Negro
Massimo Bovenzi
Fabio Barbone
Publication date
01-10-2018
Publisher
Springer Berlin Heidelberg
Published in
International Archives of Occupational and Environmental Health / Issue 7/2018
Print ISSN: 0340-0131
Electronic ISSN: 1432-1246
DOI
https://doi.org/10.1007/s00420-018-1326-3

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