Peritoneal Mesotheliomas in the News, Again

Peritoneal mesotheliomas remain a focus of the “new and improved”  web sites related to law firms that act for plaintiffs in asbestos litigation. For example, a September 12, 2015 blog post at survivingmesothelioma highlighted the September 9, 2015 publication of the article described below.

Peritoneal mesothelioma in Italy: Trends and geography of mortality and incidence. Conti S, Minelli G, Ascoli V, Marinaccio A, Bonafede M, Manno V, Crialesi R, Straif K.

Abstract INTRODUCTION: Peritoneal mesothelioma, a very rare and lethal malignancy, has not been investigated as extensively as pleural mesothelioma, although the role of asbestos exposure in its occurrence is well-known. Data from Italy are relevant, as it was the largest European asbestos producer, and asbestos was widely used in many economic activities. METHODS: A population-based mortality and incidence analysis was performed in Italy. Data sources were the National Multiple-causes-of-death Database (1995-2010) and the Italian Mesothelioma Register (1993-2008). RESULTS: We found an increasing trend of age standardized mortality rates in men, but no clear trend in women; moreover, we showed significant risks of death in several northern regions, formerly heavy asbestos users; finally, mortality/incidence ratios similar for both genders (about 0.8) were estimated. CONCLUSIONS: The study, based on national data, showed a higher risk of mortality from and incidence of peritoneal mesothelioma in areas with formerly heavy exposure to asbestos. Am. J. Ind. Med.

© 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.”

Am J Ind Med. 2015 Sep 9. doi: 10.1002/ajim.22491. [Epub ahead of print]