Asbestos exposure and laryngeal cancer mortality
The Laryngoscope 2015 September 29 [Epub ahead of print] [Link]
Peng WJ, Mi J, Jiang YH.
Abstract
Objectives/Hypothesis
Occupational exposure to asbestos occurs in many workplaces and is well known to cause asbestosis, lung cancer, and mesothelioma. However, the link between asbestos exposure and other malignancies was not confirmed. The aim of the current meta-analysis was to provide a summary measure of risk for laryngeal cancer associated with occupational asbestos exposure.
Study Design
Systematic review and meta-analysis.
Methods
Electronic databases were searched for studies characterizing the association between asbestos and laryngeal cancer. Standardized mortality rate (SMR) with its 95% confidence interval (CI) of each study was combined using a fixed or random effect model.
Results
Significantly increased SMR for laryngeal cancer was observed when subjects were exposed to asbestos (SMR = 1.69, 95% CI = 1.45-1.97, P < .001), with little evidence of heterogeneity among studies (Q = 15.39, P = .803, I2 = 0.0%). Effect estimates were larger for cohorts controlling for male subjects, Europe and Oceania, mining and textile industries, exposure to crocidolite, long study follow-up (>25 years), and SMR for lung cancer > 2.0. Publication bias was not detect by Begg test (P = .910) and Egger test (P = .340).
Conclusions
Our study supports the association of exposure to asbestos with an increased risk of laryngeal cancer mortality among male workers.
Level of Evidence
NA Laryngoscope, 2015.