Study population characteristics (incidence analysis)
| Characteristics | All subjects (n=12 729) | CT-scan sample (n=4804) |
| Age at baseline (years) | ||
| Mean±SD | 63.2±5.5 | 63.2±5.5 |
| <60 | 2772 (21.8%) | 1097 (22.8%) |
| 60–74 | 9627 (75.6%) | 3584 (74.6%) |
| ≥75 | 330 (2.6%) | 123 (2.6%) |
| Follow-up (years) | ||
| Median (min–max) | 14.9 (0.005–16.3) | 14.9 (0.15–16.3) |
| Smoking status at baseline | ||
| Never smokers | 2612 (20.5%) | 1286 (26.8%) |
| Former smokers | 5360 (42.1%) | 2850 (59.3%) |
| Current smokers | 745 (5.9%) | 326 (6.8%) |
| Missing data | 4012 (31.5%) | 342 (7.1%) |
| Duration of exposure to asbestos (years) | ||
| Mean±SD | 31.3 (10.4) | 31.5 (10.1) |
| <20 | 1848 (14.5%) | 657 (13.6%) |
| 20–29 | 2420 (19.0%) | 928 (19.3%) |
| 30–39 | 5528 (43.4%) | 2127 (44.3%) |
| ≥40 | 2933 (23.1%) | 1092 (22.8%) |
| CEI* to asbestos (f.years/mL) | ||
| Mean±SD | 60.3 (99.4) | 64.4 (101.0) |
| (0.01–2.84) | 2555 (20.1%) | 809 (16.9%) |
| (2.84–10.22) | 2568 (20.2%) | 928 (19.3%) |
| (10.22–31.70) | 2546 (20.0%) | 1028 (21.4%) |
| (31.70–70.80) | 2570 (20.2%) | 1029 (21.4%) |
| (70.80–490.00) | 2490 (19.5%) | 1010 (21.0%) |
| TSFE† (years) | ||
| Mean±SD | 56.6 (7.9) | 57.3 (7.5) |
| <40 | 359 (2.8%) | 92 (1.9%) |
| 40–49 | 1898 (14.9%) | 605 (12.6%) |
| 50–59 | 5446 (42.8%) | 2078 (43.3%) |
| ≥60 | 5026 (39.5%) | 2029 (42.2%) |
| Pleural plaque(s) (yes) | – | 1234 (25.7%) |
| Incident cancer of head and neck (yes) | 146 (1.1%) | 50 (1.0%) |
*CEI: cumulative exposure index to asbestos.
†TSFE: time since first exposure to asbestos until date of head and neck cancer, date of death or date of last news.