Occupational Versus Environmental Asbestos Exposure and Cancer Survival

Occupational asbestos exposure leads to shorter survival in patients with malignant mesothelioma and asbestos-related lung cancer than in patients who had environmental exposure, according to a recent Korean follow-up study.

All patients involved were identified between 2009 and 2021. Min-Sung Kang and colleagues followed up with 546 patients with malignant mesothelioma and 902 patients with asbestos-related lung cancer.

They found that occupational exposure was associated with shorter median survival times and lower 3- and 5-year survival rates compared with environmental exposure. In addition, patients in the occupationally exposed group who were exposed longer and had closer proximity to the source of the asbestos had shorter survival times and lower survival rates.

Across both cancer types, the highest hazard ratios (HRs) were seen in people who worked in the production of asbestos-containing products. However, within the environmental exposure group, significant HRs were only observed in patients with mesothelioma who lived near asbestos industries, slate houses, and redevelopment areas.

“Despite the widespread ban on asbestos use in many countries, asbestos-related diseases continue to be a significant global public health issue due to their prolonged latency period,” the researchers said.

They called for further investigation into the patterns of asbestos exposure and the development of strategies to enhance the survival of people who have been exposed to the cancer-causing substance.