Abstract
A 65-year-old male, business manager for an asbestos thermal insulator factory, was admitted to the hospital in May 15, 1972 with complaints of right chest pain, persistent cough and sputum. He gave a history of smoking 50 cigarettes daily for most of his adult life. On physical examination the patient appeared to be chronically ill, and rales and coarse rhonchi were audible throughout the lungs. The chest X-ray demonstrated fibrous reticulation in the lower parts of both lungs and several tumorous shadows in the right lung. The changes were concluded to be pulmonary asbestosis of grade 1 accompanied by neoplasm based on the roentgenographic criteria by Pneumoconiosis Law, Japan 1960. The patient engaged in an asbestos business for about 29 years, and still was so employed until his admission to the hospital. Postmortem examination: Thick pleural adhesion on both lungs was found. Pleural thickening on the right lung due to cancerous infiltration was evident. Both lungs demonstrated increased consistency with a dark-brown appearance. Neoplasm was not found in abdomen although it was existed in the lungs. Histologic examination: Tumor tissue demonstrated a mixted pattern of tubulopapillary and fibrosarcoma cells. Asbestos bodies were very evident in the fibrouse tissue of the lungs, but not detectable in the tumor tissues. Asbestos fibers collected from this case were confirmed to be chrysotile and amosite by the electron diffraction technique.
