Pneumoconiosis and malignant mesothelioma in a family operated metal casting business that used industrial talc from New York state

Abstract

The author concludes that end users of industrial talc from New York State may be at risk of pneumoconiosis and malignant disease. End users of talcs from other regions of the United States, where talc formation arose from processes driven by regional metamorphism, might also be at risk.

Reply to letter by Nolan and colleagues—re: The carcinogenicity of New York state talc dusts in humans

“…I have recently published an additional case report of mesothelioma occurring in an end-user of New York State industrial talc [Finkelstein, 2013]. This gentleman also developed pleural plaques and his wife, who worked with him in their metal-casting shop, developed pneumoconiosis.…”

“…NIOSH investigators reported that, in the mine, 38% of all fibers were anthophyllite and 19% were tremolite; in the mill 45% of all fibers were anthophyllite and 12% were tremolite [Gamble and Gibbs, 2008]. I recently reported on the occurrence of pneumoconiosis and mesothelioma in a husband and wife who worked with industrial talc from New York State (Mouldene Talc produced by International Talc of Talcville, New York) [Finkelstein, 2013]. Webber et al [2004], from the New York State Department of Health and Renssalaer Polytechnic Institute reported environmental measurements made in the region of the mining operation.…”

“…It is interesting to compare these environmental measurements with some measurements made on samples of industrial talc from the region. I recently reported on the occurrence of pneumoconiosis and mesothelioma in a husband and wife who worked with industrial talc from New York State (Mouldene Talc produced by International Talc of Talcville, New York) [Finkelstein, 2013]. As described in that paper, samples of the industrial talc were analyzed by Materials Analytical Services of Suwanee, Georgia.…”

Asbestos in Talc and Mesothelioma: Review of the Causality Using Epidemiology

“…Some of the tremolite was not of a length and diameter to be of a respirable range. 41 Several studies of talc workers have shown pleural thickening 4,42 and several have shown pneumoconiososis in workers exposed to talc contaminated with asbestos. 4 ,43,44…”

Scanning Electron Microscopy and Transmitted Electron Backscatter Diffraction Examination of Asbestos Standard Reference Materials, Amphibole Particles of Differing Morphology, and Particle Phase Discrimination from Talc Ores

“…Much work has been done to investigate the toxicology of industrial exposure to talc dust and a slight increase in the incidence of mesothelioma among a cohort of New York state talc mine workers has been observed (Hull et al, 2002;Finkelstein, 2012), but these results are being questioned (Nolan et al, 2013). Much work has been done to investigate the toxicology of industrial exposure to talc dust and a slight increase in the incidence of mesothelioma among a cohort of New York state talc mine workers has been observed (Hull et al, 2002;Finkelstein, 2012), but these results are being questioned (Nolan et al, 2013).…”