Incidence of malignant pleural mesothelioma due to environmental asbestos fiber exposure in the southeast of Turkey

Background: Inhabitants of the southeast of Turkey (ST) have been exposed s ince childhood to inhalation of asbestos, from a material containing tremol ite, used for whitewashing. This has resulted in an increased incidence of malignant pleural mesothelioma (MPM). Objectives: To review the epidemiolog ical features of MPM cases in ST; to calculate and compare the incidence wi th the previously reported ones. Subjects and Methods: The study included 1 76 MPM cases from different places in ST. The incidence of MPM was calculat ed for those places according to the distribution of the cases. Results: In the previously identified regions of asbestos (region 1) where the populat ion had been informed of the danger with the soil some decades ago, the MPM incidence was decreased, as compared to the previous reports. The annual i ncidence of MPM in these places was found to be 42.9 per million in this st udy while it had been reported to be 105.5 per million in the previous stud ies. In contrast, the incidence that was reported previously to be 2.75 per million in the regions where asbestos exposure had not been identified bef ore (region 2] was found to be 8.6 per million in this study. In region 2 t he incidence of MPM increased even in the second ha If of the last decade ( 5.9 versus 11.9 per million). Conclusions: Use of asbestos-containing soil continues in different places in ST. Even if the use of this soil is abando ned today, MPM will be an important health problem in this region till the third or fourth decades of this century. Informing the villagers of the dan ger and preventing the use of this soil may result in a considerable decrea se in the incidence of MPM. Copyright (C) 2000 s. Karger AG, Basel.