Asbestos in the Workplace and the Community

INTRODUCTION

Malignant pleural mesothelioma is a highly fatal tumor arising from
the pleural lining of the thoracic cavities. Its presence is indicative
of past exposure to asbestos: without such exposure, it is very
uncommon. Since the establishment of a clear association between the
inhalation of asbestos and mesothelioma in the late 1960's, several
occupational groups have been identified as being at risk, including
miners, millers, insulators, railway workers, shipyard workers,
asbestos factory workers, and brake mechanics (Selikoff and Le, 1978;
Nicholson et al 1982). Case reports of mesothelioma associated with
exposure to asbestos in less common occupational settings are useful
both for clinicians as well as epidemiologists (Young et al., 1981;
Ribak et al., 1988).

The two cases reported here are provided from a mesothelioma registry in Greece.

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