[Malignant mesothelioma risk factors: experience in the General Hospital of Mexico].

BACKGROUND Malignant mesothelioma is a neoplasm of bad prognosis, it is linked with asbestos contact, but there are cases without this antecedent. OBJECTIVE To investigate the relationship of asbestos exposition and other factors with malignant mesothelioma. METHODS Retrospective analysis of histologic confirmed cases of malignant mesothelioma, neoplasic familiar history, tobacco smoking, exposure to wood smoke and to asbestos, were annotated in a paired case/control study 1: 1-3 with logistic regression model to identify risk factors for OR. RESULTS 61 cases of malignant mesothelioma were confirmed by histopathologic study, 41 male and 20 female. Mean age was 56 years ± 13 years; 56 cases (91.8%) correspond to epithelial malignant mesothelioma, three sarcomatous (4.9%) one desmoplastic and one biphasic. One in eight (13.1%) had exposure to asbestos. Model of logistic regression with four variables: history of familiar cancer, tobacco smoking, wood smoke and asbestos exposition, the the last one with an OR= 3.083 and p > 0.05. No other variables found to be a risk factor for malignant mesothelioma. CONCLUSIONS Exposure to asbestos is a risk factor for malignant mesothelioma, which is confirmed in this study, however it is important to extend the investigation of other possible causal factors of this disease.