Tumours Linked to Para-Occupational Exposure to Airborne Asbestos

Abstract

Members of the households of former asbestos workers are at a higher risk of dying from mesothelioma resulting from asbestos exposure from cleaning asbestos-contaminated working clothes of their relatives at home. The lung fibre burdens of some of those who develop mesothelioma are similar even to those of former asbestos workers. Such people are said to be para-occupationally exposed. Many other mesothelioma cases resulting from indoor exposures to friable asbestos are known but the extent of the risk to health from such exposure is still the subject of controversial discussion. Whether there is an excess lung cancer risk from such indoor exposure to asbestos is unknown, because of the predominant effect of smoking in this disease.

Pulmonary fibrosis following household exposure to asbestos dust?

“…Mesothelioma diseases stemming from indoor exposure to asbestos have been described, but the risk due to para-occupational asbestos exposure is still unclear [ 2 ]. Whereas the pleura are sensitive to asbestos fibres, it is thought that higher cumulative asbestos doses are needed to cause asbestos-induced pulmonary fibrosis.…”

“…Epidemiologically there is no doubt about the causal relationship between occupational asbestos exposure and the risk of mesothelioma, pleural plaques, parenchymal fibrosis of the lung, and lung cancer. Furthermore, asbestos-induced mesotheliomas in housewives have been observed after para-occupational exposure by cleaning asbestos-contaminated work clothing [ 2 ], and small, irregular opacities in X-ray examinations as a sign of asbestosis in housewives without occupational exposure have been reported, albeit rarely for review see [ 3 ].…”

Pleural mesothelioma associated with indoor pollution of asbestos

“…If there is no known exposure to asbestos ®bre dust at the workplace, the question has to be raised whether a para-occupational exposure occurred (Gardner and Saracci 1989;Schneider et al 1995aSchneider et al , b, 1996bSchneider et al , 1998. Also, asbestos-related mesotheliomas in individuals not exposed to asbestos at the workplace have been described (for a review see: Gardner and Saracci 1989;Grossgarten and Woitowitz 1993;Schneider and Woitowitz 1996c). If a patient suers from mesothelioma, not only a direct or indirect workplace (bystander) exposure has to be considered, but also a household contact or an environment or indoor exposure.…”

Air Pollution: The Changing Perception of Health Risks

“…However, sufficient ex posure can occur in the home to cause disease. Thus, iso lated cases of mesothelioma have been reported in women who laundered the overalls of their husbands or fathers who worked in environments involving exposure to as bestos [6]. However, the extent of the true association be tween exposure to asbestos or other fibrous dusts and dis ease attributable to such exposure is not known.…”