Disease Latency according to Asbestos Exposure Characteristics among Malignant Mesothelioma and Asbestos-Related Lung Cancer Cases in South Korea

Da-An Huh, Woo-Ri Chae, Yun-Hee Choi, Min-Sung Kang (), Yong-Jin Lee and Kyong-Whan Moon
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Da-An Huh: Institute of Health Sciences, Korea University, Anam-ro 145, Seongbuk-gu, Seoul 02841, Republic of Korea
Woo-Ri Chae: Department of Health and Safety Convergence Science, Korea University, Anam-ro 145, Seongbuk-gu, Seoul 02841, Republic of Korea
Yun-Hee Choi: Department of Health and Safety Convergence Science, Korea University, Anam-ro 145, Seongbuk-gu, Seoul 02841, Republic of Korea
Min-Sung Kang: Asbestos Environmental Health Center, Soonchunhyang University Cheonan Hospital, Soonchunhyang 6-gil 31, Dongnam-gu, Cheonan-si 31151, Republic of Korea
Yong-Jin Lee: Asbestos Environmental Health Center, Soonchunhyang University Cheonan Hospital, Soonchunhyang 6-gil 31, Dongnam-gu, Cheonan-si 31151, Republic of Korea
Kyong-Whan Moon: BK21 FOUR R&E Center for Learning Health System, Korea University, Anam-ro 145, Seongbuk-gu, Seoul 02841, Republic of Korea

IJERPH, 2022, vol. 19, issue 23, 1-11

Abstract: Korea was one of the major consumers of asbestos in the late 1900s, and asbestos-related disease patients have been reported continuously to date, owing to long disease latency. Several studies have been conducted to predict the future incidence of malignant mesothelioma and lung cancer in Korea, but little is understood about the latency time. Therefore, the aim of this study is to estimate the latency period of malignant mesothelioma and asbestos-related lung cancer in Korea and its determinants. We obtained information from the Environmental Health Centers for Asbestos in Korea on the history of asbestos exposure and demographic characteristics of 1933 patients with malignant mesothelioma and asbestos-related lung cancer. In our study, the latency periods for malignant mesothelioma and lung cancer were 33.7 and 40.1 years, respectively. Regardless of the disease type, those with a history of exposure related to the production of asbestos-containing products or asbestos factories had the shortest latency period. In addition, we observed that those who worked in or lived near asbestos mines tended to have a relatively long disease latency. Smoking was associated with shorter latency, but no linear relationship between the lifetime smoking amount (expressed in pack years) and latent time was observed. In addition, the age of initial exposure showed a negative linear association with the latency period for mesothelioma and lung cancer.

Keywords: asbestos; latency period; lung cancer; malignant mesothelioma (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: I I1 I3 Q Q5 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2022
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