MORTALITY-RATES IN A FEMALE COHORT FOLLOWING ASBESTOS EXPOSURE IN GERMANY

A cohort study was conducted of 616 German female workers with a histo ry of exposure to asbestos. Standardized proportionate mortality analy sis was done except for mesothelioma, for which proportionate mortalit y was computed based on best evident cause of death. Mortality from lu ng cancer was increased three times over expected value. Death rates d ue to mesothelioma were 340 times higher than in the general populatio n. Female mortality rates surpassed those observed in men twofold for lung cancer and fourfold for mesothelioma. In comparison with publishe d data from international cohort studies, the observed mortality for m esothelioma in our female cohort appeared higher than that previously reported. German women with a history of asbestos exposure are conside red a high-risk group for developing mesothelioma and lung cancer. The y should be a target group for intervention strategies (eg, chemopreve ntion, smoking cessation, early cancer detection).