Eighth international mesothelioma interest group

Our plain-English summary of Eighth international mesothelioma interest group, by M. Carbone, S.M. Albelda, V.C. Broaddus, et al (Oncogene, 2007).

The study

• Authors: M. Carbone, S.M. Albelda, V.C. Broaddus, R.M. Flores, G. Hillerdal, M.C. Jaurand, K. Kjaerheim, H.I. Pass, B. Robinson, A. Tsao
• Journal: Oncogene
• Published: 2007;26(49):6959-67
• Cited by: 26 articles, as counted by NIH iCite
• Read it: PubMed · Publisher

Abstract

The eighth International Mesothelioma Interest Group (IMIG) meeting was held in Chicago, IL, United States, in 19-22 October 2006 to discuss mesothelioma - the cancer often linked to asbestos exposure. It is a very aggressive malignancy with a median survival of less than 1 year from diagnosis. Millions of people have been exposed worldwide to asbestos, especially during the second half of the twentieth century when asbestos use increased significantly. The tons of asbestos utilized in the past remain a health hazard for current and future generations because asbestos is difficult to be disposed off. This makes asbestos and mesothelioma research a public health issue in addition to a medical problem. Moreover, the very high costs of asbestos litigation have a significant impact on the whole economy. In the United States, up until 2001, defendant companies had paid 54 billion dollars in claims and estimated future liabilities ranged from 145 to 210 billion. Therefore, asbestos research is of great interest to a large audience that includes patients, millions of asbestos-exposed individuals, scientists, physicians, public health officials, politicians, unions of asbestos workers, lawyers and the public at large. During the past few years, there has been significant progress in understanding the process of mineral fiber carcinogenesis and mesothelioma pathogenesis. With improved understanding of the pathogenesis of mesothelioma, new diagnostic, preventive and therapeutic options are being developed. A total of 247 papers were presented at the IMIG: the abstracts of these presentations were published in Lung Cancer, Supplement 1, October 2006. Here, experts in different disciplines critically review some of the most exciting presentations of the IMIG meeting. The result is a comprehensive review of the research field of asbestos carcinogenesis and mesothelioma, and of the progress that has been made in recent years in both basic and clinical sciences.

In plain English

This article was a review. Experts summarized selected presentations from the eighth International Mesothelioma Interest Group meeting (Chicago, 19 to 22 October 2006), where 247 papers were presented. It covered laboratory research, immunology, epidemiology, imaging, blood markers, chemotherapy and surgery. A British case-control study found an odds ratio for mesothelioma of 33.8 (95% CI 17.0 to 67.2) in carpenters with more than 5 years of asbestos exposure before age 35. A French study estimated that occupational asbestos exposure accounted for 83.2% of mesothelioma in men and 41.9% in women. A case-control study of blood taken before diagnosis found an odds ratio of 1.5 (95% CI 0.89 to 2.53) for SV40 antibodies, but further tests suggested no SV40-specific antibodies. In hamsters, crocidolite asbestos alone caused mesothelioma in 20%, compared with 90% given asbestos plus a mutant SV40 that does not itself cause mesothelioma. Speakers presented opposing views on whether SV40 plays a role. The authors concluded that new knowledge and blood markers are leading to new prevention and treatment approaches. They noted they could not cover every paper.

We wrote this plain-English summary from the full article with the help of AI, and a second AI model checked each sentence against the article. It is not the authors' wording; the abstract and the article are their own account.

What the study did and found

• Design: Review of selected presentations at a scientific meeting (the eighth International Mesothelioma Interest Group, IMIG)
• Who was studied: Selected presentations from the 247 papers given at the IMIG meeting in Chicago, Illinois, USA, 19 to 22 October 2006. The presentations covered human patients, workers, villagers in Cappadocia, Turkey, cell cultures and laboratory animals.
• Exposure: Mainly asbestos (occupational and environmental), including crocidolite in laboratory studies. Also erionite, a mineral fiber the review describes as similar to asbestos, in Cappadocia, and SV40 virus and genetics as possible cofactors.
• Main results:
  • J Peto reported a British case-control study in which carpenters with more than 5 years of asbestos exposure before age 35 had an odds ratio for mesothelioma of 33.8 (95% CI 17.0 to 67.2). Plumbers, electricians, painters and decorators combined had an odds ratio of 12.2 (95% CI 7.2 to 20.8). Other construction workers had an odds ratio of 3.9 (95% CI 2.0 to 7.8).
  • In the same British report, lifetime risk for men born around 1950 who worked in these occupations ranged from 1 to 5%, compared with about 1 in 600 in the reference group.
  • P Rolland reported that in France the fraction of mesothelioma attributable to occupational asbestos exposure was 83.2% in men and 41.9% in women. J Peto reported that for UK women it was 6% for occupational exposure, 37% for household exposure and 20% for environmental exposure. The review said the reason for the difference between the countries was unclear.
  • K Kjaerheim reported a case-control study of serum samples taken before diagnosis. Risk of mesothelioma was 50% higher in people testing positive for antibodies to the SV40 VP-1 capsid protein (OR 1.5, 95% CI 0.89 to 2.53). However, neutralization assays found no activity, suggesting an absence of SV40-specific antibodies.
  • M Carbone reported that in hamsters, asbestos alone caused mesothelioma in 20% of animals. When hamsters were exposed to asbestos and infected with SV40, 90% developed mesothelioma, with shorter latency. The presentation described SV40 and crocidolite asbestos as cocarcinogens.
  • In the hamster experiments, the researchers used a mutant of SV40 that does not by itself cause mesothelioma, to avoid a possible confounding effect of SV40.
  • OD Roe reported on stored serum from 49 people who later developed mesothelioma and 147 matched cancer-free controls. Levels of SMRP, CA125 and CYFRA 21-1 measured 10 to more than 20 years before mesothelioma were not significantly associated with an increased risk of mesothelioma.
• The authors' conclusion: The authors concluded that recent advances in understanding how mesothelioma develops, together with new blood markers found in patients with early disease, are leading to new preventive and therapeutic approaches. They also concluded that multimodality therapy with surgery appears to offer the best chance of long-term survival.
• Limitations the authors state:
  • The authors stated that word limits prevented them from discussing and citing all the papers presented.
  • The authors noted that one presented blood-marker study (K Fukuoka, Japan) lacked asbestos-exposed controls.

Topics

The National Library of Medicine indexes this study under subjects our site covers: Mesothelioma.

Medical terms in this study, explained in our Lexicon: Mesothelioma, IMIG, Asbestos Exposure, Median Survival, Defendant, Mineral Fiber, Carcinogenesis, Lung Cancer.

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