Recent data on cancer due to asbestos in the U.S.A. and Denmark.

The Authors present data, from the USA and Denmark, dealing with the carcinogenicity of chrysotile. This review considers epidemiological studies on the incidence of bronchogenic carcinoma and mesothelioma in populations exposed to commercial chrysotile and to mixtures of chrysotile and commercial amphiboles, with which the chrysotile is often contaminated. The analyses demonstrate that the risk of lung cancer is similar for chrysotile, amosite and crocidolite on a fiber exposure basis. Chrysotile and amosite appear to produce equal mesothelioma risks. The risk of mesothelioma is four to ten times greater for crocidolite.