Malignant Pleural Mesothelioma in Patients Hospitalised at the Clinical Hospital Centre Rijeka between 1989 and 2008

Abstract

Maligni mezoteliom pleure (MMP) relativno je rijedak tumor. Glavni mu je uzrok izloženost azbestu, i to u većini slučajeva profesionalna. Retrospektivno smo analizirali medicinsku dokumentaciju bolesnika s MMP-om liječenih u Zavodu za pulmologiju Interne klinike Kliničkoga bolničkog centra Rijeka u periodu 1989.-2008. godine s ciljem prikaza incidencije MMP-a u navedenom periodu. U razdoblju od 1989. do 2008. godine liječili smo 121 pacijenta s MMP-om, i to 117 muškaraca i 4 žene. U ovom periodu primjećujemo kontinuiran porast broja novooboljelih godišnje od MMP-a. Sigurnu profesionalnu izloženost azbestu našli smo kod 72 bolesnika koji su bili zaposleni u brodograđevnoj industriji. Incidencija malignog mezotelioma pleure u značajnom je porastu u našoj regiji. Mislimo da to nije povezano s boljom i bržom dijagnostikom već s dugom latencijom bolesti te sličan trend očekujemo i ubuduće. Procjena je da će broj oboljelih od MMP-a rasti do 2020. g. u SAD-u i Europi, dok će u zemljama u razvoju u kojima rad s azbestom nije adekvatno nadziran i pravno ograničen taj trend obolijevanja biti i duži.Malignant pleural mesothelioma (MPM) is a relatively rare tumour, mainly associated with occupational exposure to asbestos. We retrospectively analysed the records of MPM patients treated at the Pulmonology Department of the Clinic for Internal Diseases, Clinical Hospital Centre Rijeka between 1989 and 2008. to establish the incidence of MPM in that period. Between 1989 and 2008 the hospital received 121 MPM patients, 117 of whom were men and four women. We observed a continued increase in newly diagnosed MPM patients from year to year. Occupational exposure to asbestos was established in 72 patients who worked in shipbuilding. In our region the incidence of MPM has been rising signifi cantly. We believe that this is not related to improved diagnostics, but to the long latency of the disease. This is why we expect this trend to continue for a while. In the USA and Europe, MPM incidence is expected to peak by 2020, while in countries with poor control over asbestos use this may take longer