Estimating the incidence of malignant mesothelioma in Vietnam: a pilot descriptive cancer registration study
Soeberg, M.J.; Luong, M.Anh.; Tran, V.Thuan.; Tran, A.Thanh.; Nguyen, Tị.Thu.Huyen.; Bui, D.; Nguyen, T.Hoai.Nga.; Takahashi, K.; van Zandwijk, N.
International Journal of Occupational and Environmental Health 22(2): 167-172
2016
ISSN/ISBN: 1077-3525 PMID: 27388204 DOI: 10.1080/10773525.2016.1151604Document Number: 283279
Global asbestos consumption has shifted toward lower income countries, particularly in the Asian region including Vietnam where asbestos and asbestos-containing products have been imported since the late 1960s. This pilot descriptive epidemiological study aimed to provide contemporary estimates of malignant mesothelioma incidence (histological subtype M9050/3; ICD-O-3) by gender and age group as recorded across nine cancer registries in Vietnam. We identified 148 incident cases of malignant mesothelioma during 1987-2013. The majority of cases were recorded in the Hanoi region (n = 93) and were aged 55 years or older (n = 96). By carefully reviewing existing cancer registry records in Vietnam, we identified a larger number of malignant mesothelioma cases than previously estimated. We recommend the use of cancer registry data in tracking future asbestos-related disease in Vietnam.