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Vol.49 No.1 contents | Japanese/English |
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- The 23rd Lung Cancer Mass Screening Seminar -
Overview of Epidemiology on Asbestos-related Diseases in Japan -Past, Present, and the Future-
Kenji Morinaga11National Institute of Industrial Health, JNIOSH, Japan
Asbestos-related diseases include asbestosis, lung cancer, mesothelioma, and non-cancerous pleural changes. We observed 242 deaths from asbestosis on death certificates between 1995 and 2004, but this figure might be underestimated. There are few cohort studies on asbestos-exposed population in Japan. Cumulative asbestos exposure more than 25-100 fiber/cc×years may bring 2 fold relative risk on lung cancer based on the review of epidemiological studies in the world. Case reports on non-cancerous pleural diseases such as benign asbestos pleurisy, and diffuse pleural thickening are scanty in Japan. One of the main reason may be insufficient consideration of asbestos exposure history in those like mesothelioma and asbestos-induced lung cancer. At present, there are no criteria for the diagnosis of pleural plaque on chest X-ray and CT. Some results report on pleural plaques in some targeted populations may be unreliable because of inexperienced readers. The mortality of mesothelioma might have been increased since 1970s. In 2006, a total of 807 male and 243 female mesotheliomas (all sites) was observed on death certificates. The diagnosis of mesothelioma on death certificates is not reliable, and future trends of this cancer should be based on more accurate data such as those from the mesothelioma registry. On-going noncompulsory registration system of mesothelioma is unsatisfactory. Most cases of mesothelioma are of occupational origin, but some are reported due to neighborhood and domestic exposure. More accurate diagnosis of mesothelioma is needed because a new Asbestos-related Damage Relief Law was enacted in March 27, 2006. Mesothelioma Panels throughout the country should be established in Japan.
key words: Asbestos-related diseases, Asbestos, Epidemiology, Mesothelioma
JJLC 49 (1): 39-47, 2009
