Exposure to fibres and risk of pleural mesothelioma in the Norwegian Offshore Petroleum Workers cohort
Menée auprès de 25 347 hommes inclus dans une cohorte d'employés de l'industrie pétrolière offshore sur la période 1965-1998 et menée à l'aide de données du registre norvégien des cancers, cette étude analyse l'association entre une exposition professionnelle à l'amiante ou aux fibres céramiques réfractaires et le risque de mésothéliome pleural
Objectives: Pleural mesothelioma is a rare respiratory cancer, mainly caused by inhalation of asbestos fibres. Other inorganic fibres are also suggested risk factors. We aimed to investigate the association between exposure to asbestos or refractory ceramic fibres (RCFs) and pleural mesothelioma among male Norwegian offshore petroleum workers. Methods: Among 25 347 men in the Norwegian Offshore Petroleum Workers (NOPW) cohort (1965–1998), 43 pleural mesothelioma cases were identified through the Cancer Registry of Norway (1999–2022). A case–cohort study was conducted with 2095 randomly drawn non-cases from the cohort. Asbestos and RCF exposures were assessed with expert-made job-exposure matrices (JEMs). Weighted Cox regression was used to estimate HRs and 95% CIs, adjusted for age at baseline and pre-offshore employment with likely asbestos exposure. Results: An increased risk of pleural mesothelioma was indicated for the highest versus lowest tertile of average intensity of asbestos (HR=1.21, 95% CI: 0.57 to 2.54). Pre-offshore asbestos exposure (vs no such exposure) was associated with increased risk of pleural mesothelioma (HR=2.06, 95% CI: 1.11 to 3.81). For offshore workers with no pre-offshore asbestos exposure, an increased risk of pleural mesothelioma was found for the highest tertile of average intensity of asbestos (HR=4.13, 95% CI: 0.93 to 18), versus the lowest tertile. No associations were found between RCF and pleural mesothelioma. Conclusions: Associations between JEM-based offshore asbestos exposure and pleural mesothelioma were confirmed in the NOPW cohort. Pleural mesothelioma risk was also associated with asbestos exposure before work in the offshore petroleum industry.
https://oem.bmj.com/content/oemed/early/2024/07/02/oemed-2024-109424