Ten cases of angiosarcoma of the liver in Shawinigan, Quebec

Ten cases of angiosarcoma of the liver have been diagnosed in Shawinigan, Quebec since 1955. All have occurred in men who worked in a vinyl chloride polymerizing plant. Cigarettes and alcohol do not seem to be associated with this tumor. The amount of vinyl chloride to which these people were exposed, according to information obtained through questionnaires, appears elevated. Angiosarcoma of the liver is accompanied by a fibrosis of the liver which may precede its appearance. In describing the Canadian cases of angiosarcoma, this study attempts to shed more light upon the causal relationship between vinyl chloride monomer and angiosarcoma of the liver and thus to provide some clues to understanding the pathogenesis of this disease.