Epidemiology of peritoneal mesothelioma: A review

P. Boffetta

Research output: Contribution to journalReview articlepeer-review

232 Scopus citations

Abstract

The epidemiology of peritoneal mesothelioma is complicated by possible geographic and temporal variations in diagnostic practices. The incidence rates in industrialized countries range between 0.5 and three cases per million in men and between 0.2 and two cases per million in women. Exposure to asbestos is the main known cause of peritoneal esothelioma. Results on peritoneal mesothelioma have been reported for 34 cohorts exposed to asbestos, among which a strong correlation was present between the percentages of deaths from pleural and peritoneal mesothelioma (correlation coefficient 0.8, P < 0.0001). Studies of workers exposed only or predominantly to chrysotile asbestos resulted in a lower proportion of total deaths from peritoneal mesothelioma than studies of workers exposed to amphibole or mixed type of asbestos. Cases of peritoneal mesothelioma have also been reported following exposure to erionite and Thorotrast, providing further evidence of common etiological factors with the pleural form of the disease. The role of other suspected risk factors, such as simian virus 40 infection and genetic predisposition, is unclear at present. Control of asbestos exposure remains the main approach to prevent peritoneal mesothelioma.

Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)985-990
Number of pages6
JournalAnnals of Oncology
Volume18
Issue number6
DOIs
StatePublished - Jun 2007
Externally publishedYes

Keywords

  • Asbestos
  • Epidemiology
  • Peritoneal mesothelioma
  • Thorotrast

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