Malignant mesothelioma due to non-occupational asbestos exposure from the Italian national surveillance system (ReNaM): epidemiology and public health issues

Italy produced and imported a large amount of raw asbestos, up to the ban in 1992, with a peak in the period between 1976 and 1980 at about 160\u2005000 tons/year. The National Register of Mesotheliomas (ReNaM, "Registro Nazionale dei Mesoteliomi" in Italian), a surveillance system of mesothelioma incidence, has been active since 2002, operating through a regional structure

Epidemiological patterns of asbestos exposure and spatial clusters of incident cases of malignant mesothelioma from the Italian national registry.

BACKGROUND: Previous ecological spatial studies of malignant mesothelioma cases, mostly based on mortality data, lack reliable data on individual exposure to asbestos, thus failing to assess the contribution of different occupational and environmental sources in the determination of risk excess in specific areas. This study aims to identify territorial clusters of malignant mesothelioma through a Bayesian spatial analysis and to characterize them by the integrated use of asbestos exposure information retrieved from the Italian national mesothelioma registry (ReNaM). METHODS: In the period 1993 to 2008, 15,322 incident cases of all-site malignant mesothelioma were recorded and 11,852 occupational, residential and familial histories were obtained by individual interviews. Observed cases were assigned to the municipality of residence at the time of diagnosis and compared to those expected based on the age-specific rates of the respective geographical area. A spatial cluster analysis was performed for each area applying a Bayesian hierarchical model. Information about modalities and economic sectors of asbestos exposure was analyzed for each cluster. RESULTS: Thirty-two clusters of malignant mesothelioma were identified and characterized using the exposure data. Asbestos cement manufacturing industries and shipbuilding and repair facilities represented the main sources of asbestos exposure, but a major contribution to asbestos exposure was also provided by sectors with no direct use of asbestos, such as non-asbestos textile industries, metal engineering and construction. A high proportion of cases with environmental exposure was found in clusters where asbestos cement plants were located or a natural source of asbestos (or asbestos-like) fibers was identifiable. Differences in type and sources of exposure can also explain the varying percentage of cases occurring in women among clusters. CONCLUSIONS: Our study demonstrates shared exposure patterns in territorial clusters of malignant mesothelioma due to single or multiple industrial sources, with major implications for public health policies, health surveillance, compensation procedures and site remediation programs

[A comparative analysis between regional mesothelioma registries and cancer registries: results of the ReNaM-AIRTUM project].

OBJECTIVES: to assess the agreement on row data and incidence rates between regional mesothelioma registries (CORs) and population cancer registries (CRs) in Italy, and to contribute in harmonizing the procedures used in identifying the date of incidence and the morphology of mesothelioma cases. SETTING E PARTICIPANTS: the mesothelioma cases registered by 19 CRs and by 9 out of 19 CORs were included in the study. Some CORs were not able to participate in the study, because there were no active CRs in their areas. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: agreement on cases defined as mesotheliomas by the two types of registries; Cohen's k was used for the evaluation of the agreement on morphology on specific mesothelioma (ICD-O-3 90513-90533) and mesothelioma not otherwise specified (NOS) (ICD-O-3 90503); instead, Odds Ratio was calculated to evaluate the direction of the discrepancy. Difference among incidence rates were calculated using data collected by the two types of registries. It was also made a comparison between dates of incidence. RESULTS: the comparison among the registered data by the two different types of registry showed a high concordance (>80%), especially in the areas where there is a continuous exchange of data. Only in a few areas a lower concordance was observed. The agreement between specific and non-specific morphology showed a fairly wide range and lower values than the calculation of the positive agreement. CORs used the specific morphology (ICD-O-3 90503-90533) with higher frequency compared to CRs. The CRs incidence standardized rates are higher when only cases defined as «certain » by ReNaM are considered; on the opposite the CORs rates are higher when all cases defined as «certain, probable and possible» are considered. CONCLUSIONS: the study permitted to compare and bring out the different procedures used in identifying the date of incidence of cases and morphology definition. This represents a first step of a cooperative discussion process among the involved registries: the working group hope it will end with the implementation of shared guidelines

Confronto fra registri specializzati e registri tumori di popolazione: i risultati del progetto ReNaM-AIRTUM [A comparative analysis between regional mesothelioma registries and cancer registries: results of the ReNaM-AIRTUM project].

Abstract OBJECTIVES: to assess the agreement on row data and incidence rates between regional mesothelioma registries (CORs) and population cancer registries (CRs) in Italy, and to contribute in harmonizing the procedures used in identifying the date of incidence and the morphology of mesothelioma cases. SETTING E PARTICIPANTS: the mesothelioma cases registered by 19 CRs and by 9 out of 19 CORs were included in the study. Some CORs were not able to participate in the study, because there were no active CRs in their areas. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: agreement on cases defined as mesotheliomas by the two types of registries; Cohen's k was used for the evaluation of the agreement on morphology on specific mesothelioma (ICD-O-3 90513-90533) and mesothelioma not otherwise specified (NOS) (ICD-O-3 90503); instead, Odds Ratio was calculated to evaluate the direction of the discrepancy. Difference among incidence rates were calculated using data collected by the two types of registries. It was also made a comparison between dates of incidence. RESULTS: the comparison among the registered data by the two different types of registry showed a high concordance (>80%), especially in the areas where there is a continuous exchange of data. Only in a few areas a lower concordance was observed. The agreement between specific and non-specific morphology showed a fairly wide range and lower values than the calculation of the positive agreement. CORs used the specific morphology (ICD-O-3 90503-90533) with higher frequency compared to CRs. The CRs incidence standardized rates are higher when only cases defined as \uabcertain \ubb by ReNaM are considered; on the opposite the CORs rates are higher when all cases defined as \uabcertain, probable and possible\ubb are considered. CONCLUSIONS: the study permitted to compare and bring out the different procedures used in identifying the date of incidence of cases and morphology definition. This represents a first step of a cooperative discussion process among the involved registries: the working group hope it will end with the implementation of shared guidelines

Confronto fra registri specializzati e registri tumori di popolazione: i risultati del progetto ReNaM-AIRTUM = A comparative analysis between regional mesothelioma registries and cancer registries: results of the ReNaM-AIRTUM project

OBIETTIVI: stimare il livello di concordanza e le stime di incidenza dei casi di mesotelioma, rilevati da registri indipendenti, i registri regionali dei mesoteliomi (COR) e i registri tumori di popolazione (RT), al fine di contribuire all’armonizzazione delle modalità di identificazione e codifica dei casi. SETTING E PARTECIPANTI: i casi di mesotelioma registrati da 19 RT italiani e da 9 su 19 COR. Alcuni COR non hanno potuto aderire per l’assenza di RT accreditati nell’area oggetto dello studio. PRiNCIPALI MISURE DI OUTCOME: si è proceduto al calcolo della concordanza sui positivi per i casi codificati come mesotelioma. La statistica k di Cohen è stata utilizzata per stimare il grado di concordanza fra morfologia di mesotelioma maligno con istotipo specificato (ICD-O-3 da 90513 a 90533) e con istotipo non altrimenti specificato (NAS) (ICD-O-3 90503); inoltre è stato calcolato l’Odds Ratio per valutare la direzione della discordanza di questa codifica. La stima dell’incidenza per entrambi i registri è stata effettuata calcolando tassi di incidenza standardizzati utilizzando come standard la popolazione europea e si è valutata l’eventuale differenza dei tassi. E’ stato effettuato anche un confronto fra le date di incidenza. RISULTATI: il risultato della concordanza sui positivi ha mostrato in generale valori di concordanza alti (>80%), specialmente nelle aree dove lo scambio di dati è prassi periodica. Solo per poche aree sono emersi risultati di concordanza più bassi. La concordanza fra morfologia di mesotelioma con istotipo, specificato e non, ha mostrato un range abbastanza ampio (k da -0,06 a 0,65) e un valore più basso rispetto al calcolo della concordanza sui positivi. Lo studio ha fatto emergere differenti modalità nell’individuazione della data di incidenza e nella codifica della morfologia, mostrando che i COR sono in grado di attribuire più frequentemente una morfologia con istotipo specificato rispetto ai RT. I tassi standardizzati sono risultati maggiori per i RT quando calcolati per i soli casi definiti «certi» dal ReNaM, considerando, invece, l’insieme di casi ReNaM «certi, probabili e possibili» il valore dei tassi è risultato superiore per i COR. CONCLUSIONE: questo progetto di collaborazione tra AIRTUM e ReNaM ha permesso di individuare differenze nelle stime di incidenza del mesotelioma maligno prodotte da registri tumori diversi. Tali differenze erano riconducibili, per alcune aree, a una difficoltà nel reperire informazioni utili alla definizione dei casi di mesotelioma. Lo studio ha permesso, inoltre, di consolidare i confronti esistenti e di creare, a livello locale, un’attività di scambio dati tra RT e COR. E’ stato possibile, infine, approntare una prima riflessione comune tra i registri coinvolti per individuare un percorso che si auspica possa portare alla realizzazione di linee guida comuni e alla formazione degli operatori deputati alla codifica. Parole chiave: mesotelioma, registri tumori, concordanz

Analysis of latency time and its determinants in asbestos related malignant mesothelioma cases of the Italian register

Italy was an important producer of raw asbestos until 1992 (when it was banned) and it is now experiencing severe public health consequences due to large-scale industrial use of asbestos in shipbuilding and repair, asbestos-cement production, railways, buildings, chemicals and many other industrial sectors. Latency of malignant mesothelioma generally shows a large variability and the relationship with the modality of asbestos exposure is still not fully clarified. We present an analysis of latency period among the case list collected by the Italian mesothelioma register (ReNaM) in the period of diagnosis 1993-2001 (2544 malignant mesothelioma (MM) cases with asbestos exposure history). Exposure is assessed retrospectively by interview. Statistical univariate analyses were performed to estimate median and variability measures of latency time by anatomical site, gender and diagnosis period. The role of diagnostic confidence level, the morphology of the tumour and the modalities of asbestos exposure were verified in a regression multivariate model. We found a median latency period of 44.6 years increasing in recent years with a linear trend. Anatomical site, gender and morphology were not relevant for MM latency time whereas a shorter latency period was documented among occupationally exposed subjects (43 years) with respect to environmentally and household exposed ones (48 years)