Biomaterial Database

Asbestos-related mesothelioma: epidemiological evidence for asbestos as a promoter. 1983

K Browne

A series of 144 cases of mesothelioma among asbestos workers indicated important divergences from the epidemiological pattern shown to exist for asbestos-related lung cancer. Consideration of exposure duration and intensity and the latent period between first exposure and death suggests that asbestos does not act as a complete carcinogen, but as a promoter. A threshold seems probable for both duration and intensity of exposure in the induction of mesothelioma. This threshold may, in part, be related to the passage of fibers from the lungs to the pleura or peritoneum, and would, in any case, be masked in lung cancer by the retention of asbestos in the lungs. Reported cases of mesothelioma in immediate family members indicate the existence of an additional factor in mesothelioma induction, acting earlier in life than the first asbestos exposure.

UI	MeSH Term	Description	Entries
D008175	Lung Neoplasms	Tumors or cancer of the LUNG.	Cancer of Lung,Lung Cancer,Pulmonary Cancer,Pulmonary Neoplasms,Cancer of the Lung,Neoplasms, Lung,Neoplasms, Pulmonary,Cancer, Lung,Cancer, Pulmonary,Cancers, Lung,Cancers, Pulmonary,Lung Cancers,Lung Neoplasm,Neoplasm, Lung,Neoplasm, Pulmonary,Pulmonary Cancers,Pulmonary Neoplasm
D008297	Male		Males
D008654	Mesothelioma	A tumor derived from mesothelial tissue (peritoneum, pleura, pericardium). It appears as broad sheets of cells, with some regions containing spindle-shaped, sarcoma-like cells and other regions showing adenomatous patterns. Pleural mesotheliomas have been linked to exposure to asbestos. (Dorland, 27th ed)	Mesotheliomas
D009784	Occupational Diseases	Diseases caused by factors involved in one's employment.	Diseases, Occupational,Occupational Illnesses,Disease, Occupational,Illnesse, Occupational,Illnesses, Occupational,Occupational Disease,Occupational Illnesse
D004739	England	A part of Great Britain within the United Kingdom.
D004812	Epidemiologic Methods	Research techniques that focus on study designs and data gathering methods in human and animal populations.	Epidemiologic Method,Epidemiological Methods,Methods, Epidemiologic,Epidemiological Method,Method, Epidemiologic,Method, Epidemiological,Methods, Epidemiological
D005190	Family	A social group consisting of parents or parent substitutes and children.	Family Life Cycles,Family Members,Family Life Cycle,Family Research,Filiation,Kinship Networks,Relatives,Families,Family Member,Kinship Network,Life Cycle, Family,Life Cycles, Family,Network, Kinship,Networks, Kinship,Research, Family
D005260	Female		Females
D006801	Humans	Members of the species Homo sapiens.	Homo sapiens,Man (Taxonomy),Human,Man, Modern,Modern Man
D001194	Asbestos	Asbestos. Fibrous incombustible mineral composed of magnesium and calcium silicates with or without other elements. It is relatively inert chemically and used in thermal insulation and fireproofing. Inhalation of dust causes asbestosis and later lung and gastrointestinal neoplasms.