Benzene exposure increases the risk of developing chronic lymphocytic leukemia by 3 times
A study published in the British Journal of Cancer found a slightly higher risk of chronic lymphocytic leukemia in refinery workers, who are often exposed to this highly dangerous solvent via inhalation, the same way consumers who use contaminated deodorant body spray are.
Chronic lymphocytic leukemia is a mature B-cell malignancy affecting the immune system.
Researchers in another study by the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine analyzed 17 studies focusing on occupational benzene exposure and chronic lymphocytic leukemia mortality and 7 studies assessing the incidence of this cancer. Nevertheless, just one study revealed a significant association, which is because the molecular etiology of chronic lymphocytic leukemia is still mostly unknown to medical literature.
It is important to acknowledge that there are two types of chronic lymphocytic leukemia that might make you eligible for compensation if you have used benzene deodorant, namely:
- B-cell chronic lymphocytic leukemia: it accounts for over 95% of cases of chronic lymphocytic leukemia
- T-cell prolymphocytic leukemia: also known as T-cell prolymphocytic leukemia, it accounts for only 1% of chronic lymphocytic leukemia cases
According to a study published in the medical journal Environmental Health, there is some evidence of a higher risk of chronic lymphocytic leukemia in people frequently exposed to benzene. Researchers selected 466 articles to determine the risk of this malignant disease in people with a history of benzene exposure. However, 287 studies were dismissed, as they were irrelevant or duplicates of the same research papers.
When it came to chronic lymphocytic leukemia, 6 studies provided estimates based on cumulative exposure. The summary-effect estimate for low benzene exposure was 1.83, for medium exposure, 1.67, and for high benzene exposure, 3.50. Also known as the pooled effect size, the summary effect size is calculated by combining individual effect sizes in a meta-analysis. According to the International Agency for Research on Cancer, benzene is a human carcinogen and has a strong association with chronic lymphocytic leukemia, among other blood and bone marrow cancers. If you have been using benzene deodorant and received this diagnosis, please contact our chronic lymphocytic leukemia attorneys.
