OBJECTIVES/HYPOTHESIS: Occupational exposure to asbestos occurs in many 
workplaces and is well known to cause asbestosis, lung cancer, and mesothelioma. 
However, the link between asbestos exposure and other malignancies was not 
confirmed. The aim of the current meta-analysis was to provide a summary measure 
of risk for laryngeal cancer associated with occupational asbestos exposure.
STUDY DESIGN: Systematic review and meta-analysis.
METHODS: Electronic databases were searched for studies characterizing the 
association between asbestos and laryngeal cancer. Standardized mortality rate 
(SMR) with its 95% confidence interval (CI) of each study was combined using a 
fixed or random effect model.
RESULTS: Significantly increased SMR for laryngeal cancer was observed when 
subjects were exposed to asbestos (SMR = 1.69, 95% CI = 1.45-1.97, P < .001), 
with little evidence of heterogeneity among studies (Q = 15.39, P = .803, I(2) = 
0.0%). Effect estimates were larger for cohorts controlling for male subjects, 
Europe and Oceania, mining and textile industries, exposure to crocidolite, long 
study follow-up (>25 years), and SMR for lung cancer > 2.0. Publication bias was 
not detect by Begg test (P = .910) and Egger test (P = .340).
CONCLUSIONS: Our study supports the association of exposure to asbestos with an 
increased risk of laryngeal cancer mortality among male workers.
LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: NA Laryngoscope, 126:1169-1174, 2016.