Identifying persons at high risk for the development of prostate cancer is critically important because this cancer is the most common neoplasm in men and the second leading cause of male cancer death in the industrialized Western countries. Although not conclusive, occupational exposure to asbestos has been linked with increased rates of prostate cancer.

Recent as well as historic research results suggest an elevated risk for cancer and other acute and chronic diseases for household members, especially women and children, exposed to carcinogens and other toxic materials that find their way into the household from outside sources. Epidemiological studies of parental occupation and childhood cancer date back at least thirty years when Fabia and Thuy (1974) reported a two-fold excess risk of cancer death among children less than five years of age whose fathers had jobs classified as "hydrocarbon related." The relevant literature linking parental occupation to childhood cancer has grown considerably since then with topics including mesothelioma of asbestos workers' spouses, acute and chronic lead poisoning of children of workers in various lead related industries, berylliosis among spouses of beryllium workers, hepatic angiosarcoma in children from arsenic in fathers clothing, chloracne on wives of cable workers using polycyclic compounds, and Kepone poisoning of wives of Kepone workers.

This research effort is designed to determine:

Benefits of the proposed research include assessment of risk for the development of prostate cancer given occupational asbestos exposure, demonstrate importance of ongoing evaluation of health status and prostate cancer screening resulting in decreased morbidity and mortality. Screening of at risk individuals may reduce mortality from prostate cancer by up to, or more than 48%.