Malignant pleural mesothelioma in housewives in the province of Catania

Our study reports pleural malignant mesothelioma (PMM) in seven female patients. All patients were resident in Catania area (Sicily), the median age was 69.2 years and ranged from 59 to 81 years. They were housewife. Their anamnesis was negative for both direct and indirect previous exposure to asbestos; the partners of all patients were also not exposed to asbestos. The exposure to X-rays was also excluded for these patients. Different pathogenetic mechanisms for the appearance of PMM in these patients can be hypothesized, for example, SV40 infection and genetic susceptibility; a minimal domestic exposure to asbestos can be not excluded. Therefore, further studies in a more large number of subjects are necessary to determine whether one or all of these hypothetic pathogenetic mechanisms are more significant for the develop of PMM