Peritoneal Tumours in Asbestosis

Abstract

Eleven cases of diffuse abdominal tumours in association with exposure to asbestos were discovered in the years 1958 to 1963. There were eight men and three women, all of whom had worked at the same factory. In seven of the men the age at death ranged from 38 to 78 years; one man is still alive at the age of 46. The women died at 44, 61, and 67. The survival time after the first exposure varied from 20 to 46 years. The shortest period of exposure was 10 months and the longest 32 years. All three of the main commercial types of asbestos had been involved in their working operations. Histological confirmation of the nature of the tumour has been obtained at necropsy in nine of the 10 deceased and at biopsy in six, including the survivor. A remarkable feature of these cases is the minimal fibrosis found in the lungs. In three men and one woman, asbestosis was not diagnosed during life, and no patient was completely disabled by pulmonary fibrosis.

Peritoneal mesothelioma presenting surgically

“…Then, in 1960, Wagner, Sleggs, and Marchand first suggested an association between mesothelioma and asbestos exposure. More recently numbers of cases of both peritoneal and pleural mesothelioma have been reported (Enticknap and Smither, 1964;Elmes, McCaughey, and Wade, 1965). Finally, in August, 1966, legislation was passed which classified mesothelioma due to asbestos exposure as an industrial disease.…”

Peritoneal Mesothelioma and Asbestos: Clarifying the Relationship by Epidemiology

“…Out of these cases, 222 were peritoneal (60%). Enticknap [37] and Newhouse and Berry [38] also reported more peritoneal than pleural in their cases.…”

“…Seven of the eleven had asbestos bodies, two of which were females, two with not only asbestos bodies, but also fibrosis of the lungs. Enticknap [37] discovered eleven cases of peritoneal mesothelioma among asbestosis cases in England 1948-1953. Eight were male and three female and they were between the ages of 38 and 78 years with a latent period of 20-46 years and asbestos exposures between 10 months and 32 years duration.…”

Problems and Perspectives: The Changing Hazards of Exposure to Asbestos

“…This concept can perhaps now be extended to suggest that if they do not die of bronchial tumors they may, if exposed to certain types of dust, develop pleural and peritoneal or gastrointestinal tumors. I t is disturbing that these latter tumors are occurring in asbestos workers and others exposed t o the dust, in whom there is little or no evidence of asbestosis (Wagner, 1965;McCaughey, 1965;Enticknap & Smither. 1964).…”