THE ASSOCIATION OF OCCUPATIONAL ASBESTOS DUST EXPOSURE AND LARYNGEAL CARCINOMA

Controversy exists as to whether occupational asbestos dust exposure i s responsible, or at least partially responsible, for the development of laryngeal carcinoma. The aim of this study is to present the curren t scientific knowledge on this subject based on a comprehensive litera ture research and to critically review the epidemiological investigati ons published. The results of 31 cohort studies and 24 case-control st udies, and the conclusions in 11 more recent reviews are contradictory . In most studies there was no statistically significant indication of a causal relationship. It is noteworthy that an increased risk of lar yngeal carcinoma among persons exposed to asbestos dust was observed m ostly in older studies in which smoking habits and/or alcohol consumpt ion as the most important nonoccupational risk factors were usually no t taken into account. in addition, since most of the calculated positi ve associations are very weak, no reliable conclusion can be reached. While there may be a causal relationship between occupational exposure to asbestos dust and the occurrence of laryngeal carcinoma, this cann ot be regarded as certain on the basis of the evidence reviewed.