Bari, 900 cases of mesothelioma in 30 years

An analysis of data collected by the Regional Operations Center of Apulia, Italy, the complex operational unit of Occupational Medicine of the Polyclinic of Bari, revealed 900 cases of mesothelioma in the province of Bari. This province has recorded the highest number of mesothelioma cases in the last 30 years. The provinces of Taranto followed with 647 cases, Lecce with 281, Foggia with 172, Brindisi with 166, and Barletta–Andria–Trani with 135. The results of the study, presented during a conference hosted by the Bari section of the Italian Secretariat of Medical Students, revealed that in Apulia, from 1993 to the present, there have been 2,281 cases of mesothelioma, a figure consistent with the national average but with a 12.6% increase attributable to environmental factors. In the city of Bari, 407 cases were identified, of which 177 were attributed to professional origins and 113 were of environmental origin. The latter were found among residents in a limited area, i.e. within a maximum distance of 2 kilometres from the former Fibronit plant, which was active until 1985 and dedicated to producing asbestos cement. The site was subsequently reclaimed and is now intended for use as a park. Experts strongly advocate the implementation of preventative measures, particularly environmental remediation, given the confirmation of mesothelioma as a pathology associated with reduced survival rates when compared to other oncological pathologies.