[Risk and clinical surveillance of workers exposed to asbestos]

The role of the family doctor in the medical surveillance of asbestos-exposed workers is important, mainly after retirement. The surveillance modalities should take into account the levels of exposure and the date of the beginning of exposure (long latency period of asbestos-related diseases). Due to the lack of evidence of improvement of lung cancer prognosis, and in the absence of effective treatment of mesothelioma, the interest of medical surveillance is at the present time medico-legal rather than strictly medical. Consequently, maximalist attitudes, costly and may be hazardous, should be avoided.