Skip to main page content
U.S. flag

An official website of the United States government

Dot gov

The .gov means it’s official.
Federal government websites often end in .gov or .mil. Before sharing sensitive information, make sure you’re on a federal government site.

Https

The site is secure.
The https:// ensures that you are connecting to the official website and that any information you provide is encrypted and transmitted securely.

Access keys NCBI Homepage MyNCBI Homepage Main Content Main Navigation
. 2016 Mar;21(2):82-90.
doi: 10.1007/s12199-015-0501-3. Epub 2015 Dec 21.

High-risk mesothelioma relation to meteorological and geological condition and distance from naturally occurring asbestos

Abdurrahman Abakay  1 , Abdullah Cetin Tanrikulu  2 , Mustafa Ayhan  3 , Mehmet Sefik Imamoglu  3 , Mahsuk Taylan  2 , Muhammet Ali Kaplan  4 , Ozlem Abakay  2
Affiliations

High-risk mesothelioma relation to meteorological and geological condition and distance from naturally occurring asbestos

Abdurrahman Abakay et al. Environ Health Prev Med. 2016 Mar.

Erratum in

Abstract

Objectives: Very few studies have investigated the incidence and risk of malignant mesothelioma (MM) associated with distinct sources of asbestos exposure, especially exposure to naturally occurring asbestos (NOA).

Methods: Subjects were MM, lung, and breast cancer patients who were diagnosed and followed in Diyarbakir Province between 2008 and 2013. The birthplaces of patients were displayed on a geologic map. Geological and meteorological effects on MM were analyzed by logistic regression.

Results: A total of 180 MM, 368 breast, and 406 lung cancer patients were included. The median distance from birthplace to ophiolites was 6.26 km for MM, 31.06 km for lung, and 34.31 km for breast cancer (p < 0.001). The majority of MM cases were seen within 20 km from NOA areas. The MM incidence inside of NOA was 1059/100.000, and out of NOA was 397/100.000; this difference was significant (p = 0.014). The largest concentration of MM residential areas was within ± 30° (34 residential areas 36.6%) of the dominant wind direction. Most MM patients were found in or near the dominant wind direction, especially in the acute angle defined by the dominant wind direction. MM incidence was directly proportional to {[area of NOA (km(2))] * [cosine α of wind direction angle]} and was inversely proportional to the square of the distance (R = 0.291, p = 0.023).

Conclusions: MM was higher near NOA and in the downwind direction. MM incidence and risk were affected by geological and meteorological factors.

Keywords: Incidence; Mesothelioma; Naturally occurring asbestos; Risk; Wind direction.

PubMed Disclaimer

Figures

Fig. 1
Fig. 1
Distribution of MM patients on geological map Diyarbakir Province
Fig. 2
Fig. 2
Dominant win direction Diyarbakir Province and calculation of angle
Fig. 3
Fig. 3
a Distribution of breast cancer patients on geological map Diyarbakir Province. b Distribution of lung cancer patients on geological map Diyarbakir Province
Fig. 4
Fig. 4
Result of curve estimation model for MM
See this image and copyright information in PMC

References

    1. Wagner JC, Sleggs CA, Marchand P. Diffuse pleural mesothelioma and asbestos exposure in the North Western Cape Province. Br J Indust Med. 1960;17:266–271. - PMC - PubMed
    1. Tanrikulu AC, Senyigit A, Dagli CE, Babayigit C, Abakay A. Environmental malignant pleural mesothelioma in Southeast Turkey. Saudi Med J. 2006;27:1605–1607. - PubMed
    1. Bayram M, Bakan ND. Environmental exposure to asbestos: from geology to mesothelioma. Curr Opin Pulm Med. 2014;20(3):301–307. doi: 10.1097/MCP.0000000000000053. - DOI - PubMed
    1. Hansen J, de Klerk NH, Musk AW, Hobbs MS. Environmental exposure to crocidolite and mesothelioma: exposure-response relationships. Am J Respir Crit Care Med. 1998;157:69–75. doi: 10.1164/ajrccm.157.1.96-11086. - DOI - PubMed
    1. Abratt RP, Vorobiof DA, White N. Asbestos and mesothelioma in South Africa. Lung Cancer. 2004;45:3–6. doi: 10.1016/j.lungcan.2004.04.007. - DOI - PubMed

MeSH terms

LinkOut - more resources