Table 1 Characteristics of studies included in the final analysis
Study (reference) | Country | Period | Type of cancer | Type of exposure | Categorized age at first exposure | Asbestos exposure information | Confounding variables | Type of outcome | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | Chen M et al., [22] | Hongkong | 1981-2008 | Mesothelioma and lung cancer | Occupational exposure | <20 yrs. ≥20 yrs | Age at first exposure 19.94 ± 7.92 | Smoking | Standardized mortality ratios (95% CI) |
Years of asbestos exposure 31.49 ± 16.42 | |||||||||
2 | Lacourt A et al. [23] | France | 1998-2006 | Mesothelioma | Occupational exposure | 15 yrs, 20 yrs, 30 yrs | Age at first exposure 21.0 ± 7.0 | Intensity and total duration of exposure | Odds ratio (95% CI) |
Years of asbestos exposure 27.8 ± 12.9 | |||||||||
3 | Rake C et al. [24] | UK | 2001-2006 | Mesothelioma | Occupational and domestic exposure | <20 yrs, 20–29 yrs, ≥30 yrs | Categorical variables: job category, Age at first exposure, duration of employment, domestic exposure history |  | Odds ratio (95% CI) |
4 | Pira E et al. [25] | Italy | 1946-2004 | Mesothelioma and lung cancer | Occupational exposure | <25 yrs, 25–34 yrs, ≥35 yrs | Categorical variables: Age at first exposure, duration of employment, time since first/last employment |  | Standardized mortality ratios (95% CI) |
5 | Reid A et al. [26] | Australia | 1943-2000 | Mesothelioma | Residential exposure | <15 yrs, ≥15 yrs | Residential exposure (day) 1,007 ± 1,404, cumulative exposure (f/mL-yr) 5.5 ± 8 | Cumulative exposure, first residence age, sex | Hazard ratio (95% CI) |
6 | Luce D et al. [27] | New Caledonia | 1993-1995 | Mesothelioma and lung cancer | Residential exposure | Birth, ≤16 yrs, >16 yrs | Categorical variables: Age at first exposure, duration of exposure | Smoking, age at first exposure, exposure duration | Odds ratio (95% CI) |