Document 823vQ1LZJodmbZNdaZkbBjLmd

371 Asbestos Bodies in Human Lungs at Autopsy Dzidra Cattna, MD, Robert S. Totten, MD, and Paul Cross, MD The incidence of asbestos bodies in the lungs was in* products such as asbestos 'roofing, roof tiles, ceil vestigated in 100 autopsies of adults. Lung smears were ings, floor tiles, pipe and electrical insulation, car- taken from the sectioned surfaces of the upper and lower brake linings, cement, etc. Since asbestos is vir lobes of both lungs. The slides were dried and mounted tually indestructible they predicted that the without staining, and approximately 400 low-power fields amount of air-bome asbestos fibers in cities would were examined in each slide. Routine histological sections increase in the future and become a contaminant of of unexpanded lungs were also examined in all cases. As the air. They further suggested that the results of bestos bodies were found in 41% of the subjects. They life-long inhalation of these fibers might lead to were not encountered in persons up to 24 years of age. almost universal basal asbestosis in adults, and a Among males the incidence was 47%, and in females frequency of mesothelioma of pleura or peritoneum 34%. Although significant microscopic pulmonary fibrosis higher than that of bronchial carcinoma today. As was encountered in two positive cases, no instance of bestos has also been implicated as a possible factor classical asbestosis was found. Mesothelioma of the pleura was not encountered. Primary lung carcinoma oc See also page 419. curred in one patient with asbestos bodies and in one in the development of carcinoma of the lung.4 without. According to Doll* the risk of developing a lung cancer is increased among asbestos workers, but Wagner and associates1 reported on the occur this is denied by others.*-7 rence of diffuse pleural mesothelioma in per As the United States accounts for roughly over sons from a large asbestos mining area in tohnee third of the world's consumption of asbestos, northwest of Cape Province, South Africa. Since Thomson* initiated an investigation of the fre mesothelioma of the pleura was regarded as an un quency of asbestos bodies in lungs in Miami, Fla, common tumor, and was rarely seen elsewhere in where even higher positive figures were obtained South Africa, they undertook an investigation of than in Cape Town. these cases. In ten cases, lung tissues were available Pittsburgh and its environs are free of asbestos for microscopic examination and asbestosis was mines, but it is a large industrial center with an found in eight. expanding modem building program. The purpose Thomson1 reported seven cases of mesothelioma, of this investigation was to obtain preliminary four in the pleura and three in the adjacent perito data on the incidence of asbestos bodies in the neum, encountered over a period of three years in lungs of patients who died at Presbyterian-Univer- the autopsy service of one teaching hospital in sity Hospital. Cape Town. In all seven cases the microscopic pic ture was that of pulmonary asbestosis, with abun Material and Methods dant asbestos bodies and fibrosis in the basal por The work was carried out in the Presbyterian- tions of the lower lobes. Since only one of these University Hospital, which receives patients main seven patients had a history of occupational ex ly from the city of Pittsburgh and the surrounding posure to asbestos, Thomson and his associates1 area. Hie material consisted of 100 routine autopsy undertook an investigation on the frequency of asbestos bodies in the lungs in general population of Cape Town in routine autopsies. Of 500 cases examined, 132 were positive for asbestos bodies. These results suggested that asbestos was becom ing a modem urban hazard. According to Thomson et al,s world consumption of this mineral had in creased from 300,000 tons in 1934 to 2,400,000 tons in 1961. It is used in a wide variety of industrial From the departments of pathology. Presbyteriao-University Hospital and University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine (Drs. Cauna and Totten), and Industrial Hygiene Foundation. Inc.. Mellon Institute (Dr. Gross). Pittsburgh. Reprint requests to 230 Lothrop St, Pittsburgh 15213 (Dr. Cauna). JAMA. May 3. 1965 Vol 192. No 5 1. Incidence of positive cases relative to age groups. i 111 p PA-242.20 SCF-FA-5670 FOS 0009526