Malignant mesothelioma in British Columbia in 1982

All cases newly diagnosed by a pathologist in 1982 in British Columbia as a malignant mesothelioma of the pleura or peritoneum were reviewed. In men there were 17 cases (incidence rate, 17.0/million/year), and in women 2 cases (1.9/million/year). A history of asbestos exposure (largely in shipyards, construction, or insulation work) was obtained for 14 of 15 men, and 0 of 1 woman. Mineralogic analysis of lung on 6 of the men confirmed that the tumor was associated in every instance with exposure to amosite and crocidolite asbestos; some patients also had elevated levels of tremolite asbestos, presumably reflecting exposure to a chrysotile asbestos product. No unusual levels of asbestos were found in the lungs of the one woman studied. These data show that the incidence rate of mesothelioma in British Columbia has increased nearly six times for men compared to the period 1969 to 1975, but has remained roughly unchanged for women. Almost all of the cases in men in this series could be linked to asbestos exposure.