A group of researchers from Bengbu Medical College in China recently published a meta-analysis of studies regarding the relationship between asbestos and prostate cancer. Their meta-analysis included seventeen previously published cohort studies, totaling over 100,000 followed persons from the United States, United Kingdom, multiple European countries, Russia, China, and Australia. The researchers found a pooled standard mortality ratio for prostate cancer of 1.22 with a confidence interval of 95%. In epidemiologic terms, a relative risk of 1.22 is not necessarily proof of causation, which is generally reserved for relative risks between at least 1.5 and 2.0 – however, as the authors note, the analysis does justify a call for more research on the topic. Interestingly, the authors found a higher relative risk of prostate cancer in those cases which had exposure to amphibole fibers, in particular crocidolite. A link to the researcher's article can be found below.
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