A Case of Lung Cancer Caused by Long-Term Asbestos Exposure.
- Author:
Dong Young YOON
1
;
Jin Wook KANG
;
Hyun Jae LEE
;
Jung Il KIM
;
Ji Eun SON
;
Kap Yeol JUNG
;
Joon Youn KIM
;
Mee Sook ROH
Author Information
1. Department of Occupational Medicine, College of Medicine, Dong-A University Hospital, Korea. ydyyoon@hanmail.net
- Publication Type:Case Report
- Keywords:
Lung cancer;
Asbestos;
Shipyard
- MeSH:
Asbestos*;
Asbestos, Amosite;
Biopsy;
Humans;
Lung Neoplasms*;
Lung*;
Occupational Exposure;
Respiratory Function Tests;
Thorax;
Tomography, X-Ray Computed
- From:Korean Journal of Occupational and Environmental Medicine
2004;16(4):499-507
- CountryRepublic of Korea
- Language:Korean
-
Abstract:
OBJECTIVES: To report a case of lung cancer caused by long-term asbestos exposure in a shipyard. METHODS: We evaluated chest X-ray, pulmonary function test, and chest CT and analyzed asbestos concentration in the lung tissue and bulk sample from the workplace. We also performed a workplace survey. RESULTS: The patient had worked at the shipyard for 31 years. The biopsy samples were processed to determine the asbestos content in the lung tissue and bulk sample using a transmission electron microscope (TEM) equipped with an energy dispersive X-ray analyzer (EDX). The TEM-EDX analysis revealed many asbestos fibers, the majority of which were amosite. In addition, the concentration asbestos fibers in the workplace exceeded the occupational exposure limits of asbestos. CONCLUSIONS: Our findings strongly suggest that this patient's lung cancer was related to the long-term asbestos exposure.
