Authors:
De Klerk N; Alfonso H; Olsen N; Reid A; Sleith J; Palmer L; et al.
Authors notes:
International Journal of Cancer. 2013;132(6):1423-1428
Keywords:
Asbestos, Familial risk, Mesothelioma, Risk modelling
Abstract:
Clustering of cases of malignant mesothelioma within families has often been observed, but disentangling genetic and exposure effects has not been done.
Former workers and residents exposed to crocidolite at Wittenoom, Western Australia, where many families shared exposure to asbestos, have had high rates of mesothelioma.
Our study aimed to estimate the additional risk of mesothelioma in relatives, after allowance for common exposure to crocidolite.
There were 369 family groups with at least one case of mesothelioma and a further 25 cases of mesothelioma among relatives in the same families, with 12.9 expected. The risk ratio for blood relatives was 1.9.
These findings suggest an important, but not large, genetic component in mesothelioma, similar to many other cancers.