Abstract
Malignant
pleural mesothelioma (MPM) is still a public health problem in Turkey mainly
due to environmental fibrous mineral exposure (FME; tremolite asbestos,
erionite). Total incidence of MPM was estimated as 7.8 million inhabitants in
Turkey.
Exposure from
domestic usage of asbestos contaminated soil is particularly important in rural
areas in Central, East and Southeast of Turkey, whereas erionite is the responsible fibrous zeolite, particularly in three
villages located in the Cappadocian region of Central Anatolia, namely Karain,
Tuzköy and Sarıhıdır. Erionite has
much more carcinogenic
potency compared to asbestos and has lead to outbreaks of endemic
mesothelioma in these villages before relocation of these villages to an erionite free area. Estimated
annual incidence of mesothelioma in Turkey related to environmental exposure
was approximately less than 1000 cases per 100.000 people in the erionite
villages and 50 cases per million in Southeast Turkey.
Although
preventive measures were taken by educating villagers to avoid using asbestos
contaminated soil for domestically and reloacating the erionite villages,
illegally operated erionite quarries in Karacaören region is of concern for
risk of new environmental MPM cases.
In addition to
Turkey’s natural geographical properties leading to high incidence of MPM
currently there is an increasing risk of developing occupational mesothelioma
due to extensive usage of asbestos in industry. Based on asbestos production
and consumption data of U.S. Geological Survey, Turkey had imported a total
amount of 350,000 tons of asbestos between 1940-2013. Therefore, we expect to
diagnose 350 new occupational MPM cases per year especially after 2015 till
2040.
References
- Salih EMRI Department of Pulmonary Diseases, Faculty of Medicine, Hacettepe University, Turkey
Abstract
References
- Salih EMRI Department of Pulmonary Diseases, Faculty of Medicine, Hacettepe University, Turkey
Details
| Journal Section | Articles |
|---|---|
| Authors | |
| Publication Date | February 16, 2017 |
| Published in Issue | Year 2017 Volume: Volume 2 Issue: İssue 1 (1) - 2.İnternational Congress Of Forensic Toxicology |
