Asbestosis and lobar site of lung cancer

Objective-To assess the evidence for the hypothesis that lung cancer has a predilection for the lower lobes in workers with asbestosis. Method-A review of the available Literature with relevant information. Results-Six published reports were analysed. In four studies limited to ser ies of cases with diagnoses of asbestosis, three showed lower lobe predomin ance of lung cancer whereas the fourth study included cases in which the ra diographic readings did not meet the usual criterion of profusion for asbes tosis. One cohort study showed lower lobe predominance; the other reported only 33% lower lobe cancers compared with 20% in unexposed controls. Conclusion-There is some support for the hypothesis but more studies are ne eded.