The minerological analysis of parietal pleura samples in cases with enviromentally exposed to mineral fibers Çevresel mineral liflerin etkisinde kalan olgularin parietal plevra örneklerinin minerolojik analizi

Summary Purpose: Inhalation of asbestos fibers results in a variety of neoplastic and nonneoplastic diseases of the respiratory tract. Asbestos related chest disease are endemic in the rural region of Eskisehir in Turkey. It has been demonstrated that the cause of this can be related to exposure to dust generated from a white-soil containing tremolite and/or tremolite-chrysotile mixture. Materials and methods: We have performed a minerological analysis by electron microscope of the dust contained in samples of tumor in the parietal pleura of cases arising in these rural areas. The results of the examination of the initial 8 cases are presented. Of the 8 cases, 4 had malignant pleural mesothelioma, 2 adenocarcinoma, 1 malignant melanoma, and 1 benign mesothelioma. Lengths and diameters of asbestos fibers were measured from the electron micrographs. Results: Tremolite, chrysotile and sepiolite fibres were detected in samples of parietal pleura from 2 of the malignant mesothelioma cases, and tremolite only in other 2 cases; tremolite and chrysotile fibres were observed in 1 adenocarcinoma case, and tremolite fibres only in the other; chrysotile fibres only were observed in one malignant melanoma case. No fibres were detected in the sample of the fibrous tumor case.