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Registro Tumori Veneto – Regione del Veneto – Azienda Zero

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Mesoteliomi Registry

The Registry has the task of identifying all cases of accidental mesothelioma in Veneto and to analyse the professional, residential and environmental history of the patients.

 

Mesothelioma Registry Methods

The Regional Operating Centre (COR) of the Veneto Region is located at the Epidemiological Department – Azienda Zero in Padova and it collaborates with the Local Health Units’ Services for Prevention, Hygiene and Safety in the Workplace (SPISAL).
The Mesothelioma Register of the Veneto Region identifies incident cases of Malignant Mesothelioma (MM) in residents of the Veneto Region, and analyzes the professional, residential and environmental history in order to identify modalities of asbestos exposure.
The procedures for identifying, collecting, defining, classifying, and coding cases and patients’ stories of exposure to asbestos are defined by national guidelines.
The diagnosis of mesothelioma is particularly difficult due to the complex features of this disease (low incidence, difficult histological definition, etc.); that is why a reference protocol was developed to classify cases by level of diagnostic certainty.
The occupational history of each patient with mesothelioma is assessed by means of a standard questionnaire administered directly to the individuals affected (if still alive), or to their relatives. To gather data relating to any history of exposure to asbestos, the Registry collaborates with the SPISAL.
The analysis of the patient’s professional history, together with information on lifestyle and residential history, is conducted in accordance with a specific national protocol: the standard classification including different levels enables to asses, according to homogeneous criteria, the presence (or absence) of asbestos exposure and to assign each case to various levels of probability of asbestos exposure.

Statement of Mesoteliomi Registry

National level
Decree of the President of the Council of Ministers (DPCM) no. 308 dated 10 December, 2002 establishing the “Regulations for the definition of the model and the procedures for keeping the register of asbestos-related mesothelioma cases”. The national registry was formerly maintained by ISPEL – Italian National Institute for Occupational Safety and Prevention (today by INAIL – National Institute for Insurance against Accidents at Work).
The Register collects all cases of malignant mesothelioma of the pleura, peritoneum, pericardium and tunica vaginalis of the testicle. The aim of the register are:
a) to establish mesothelioma incidence in Italy;
b) to acquire information relating to previous asbestos exposure of registered cases;
c) to contribute to the assessment of the effects of industrial use of asbestos and to the identification of sources of pollution;
d) to promote research projects for the assessment of the association of mesothelioma cases and asbestos exposure.
Legislative decree (D. Lgs.) no. 81/2008 confirmed the National Register of Malignant Mesotheliomas – ReNAM (art. 244) at INAIL; INAIL collaborates with the Regional Operating Centres (CORs) in the national surveillance system of the incidence of mesothelioma.

Regional level
The Mesothelioma Register of the Veneto Region was established by the Regional Council of Veneto (DGRV) n. 538/2001; the registry is placed within the Epidemiological Department – Azienda Zero in Padova.

 

 

Allegati: 
DPCM n. 308 del 2002

D. Lgs. 81/2008

DGRV n. 538 del 2001

Mesothelioma Registry: areas of activity

The Regional registry of Mesotheliomas collects cases with a diagnosis of malignant mesothelioma

The main activities of the register are:

1) Acquisition and processing of information sources on new mesothelioma diagnoses, such as pathological reports, mortality.

2) Standardized diagnosis of mesothelioma.
All health care providers (hospitals, university departments, pathologic anatomy services) send to the Services for Prevention, Hygiene and Safety in the Workplace (SPISAL) of Local Health Authorities the available documentation for each case (including suspected cases) of malignant mesothelioma.
A standard interpretative grid allows the classification of cases into classes depending on the degree of diagnostic certainty.

3) Reporting of new cases of mesothelioma to Local Health Authorities; anamnestic evaluation.
The regional registry checks the information collected by SPISAL on new cases. The registry retrieves additional potential cases from information sources detailed in point 1 and send this list to SPISAL.

4) Definition of asbestos exposure.
The analysis of the patient’s professional history, together with information on lifestyle and residential history is conducted in accordance with a specific national protocol including the compilation of a standard questionnaire. The standard classification including different levels enables to asses, according to homogeneous criteria, the presence (or absence) of asbestos exposure, and to assign a probability of asbestos exposure to each case.

5) Archives update
Inclusion of new cases in the regional register, case transfer to other CORs and to the Italian National Register of Malignant Mesotheliomas.

6) Participation in collaborative projects with the Italian National Register of Malignant Mesotheliomas
The seventh report of the Italian National Mesothelioma Register, covering the incidence of the disease for the period 1993-2018, was published in December 2021.
Participation to the following national projects: “Malignant mesothelioma of pericardium and vaginal tunic of testis: survival, prognostic factors and therapy”; “The impact of COVID-19 on new mesothelioma diagnoses in Italy” (Thorac Cancer. 2022 Mar;13(5):702-707. doi: 10.1111/1759-7714.14296. Epub 2022 Jan 25); “Case-control study of peritoneal mesothelioma and asbestos”; “Incidence of mesothelioma in young people and characteristics of exposure to asbestos”.

7) Training for health professionals working in SPISAL
Organization of the regional training course: “Previous exposure to asbestos, activity of the Regional Mesothelioma Register” (May-June 2022).

 

 

Staff

Ugo Fedeli
Director

Valentina Zabeo
Statistician

Vera Comiati
Occupational physician

Publications