Occupational asbestos exposure and the incidence of non-hodgkin lymphoma of the gastrointestinal tract: an ecologic study

Purpose A previous case-control study observed a strong association between occupational exposure to asbestos and the incidence of non-Hodgkin lymphoma of the gastrointestinal tract (GINHL). To test this hypothesis, we sought to determine whether the geographic pattern of the incidence of GINHL in the US has paralleled that of mesothelioma. Methods Using data obtained from the nine US regions participating in the National Cancer Instituteʹs Surveillance, Epidemiology and End Results program, we examined the incidence of malignancies among men ages 50 to 84 years between 1973 and 1984. Results The rates of mesothelioma, but not of GINHL, were about two times higher in the areas of Seattle and San Francisco, than in the other regions. Overall, there was no correlation between the rates of mesothelioma and of GIHNL (Pearson correlation coefficient−0.12, p = 0.77). Conclusions This ecologic study finds no support for the hypothesis that occupational asbestos exposure is related to the subsequent incidence of GINHL.