Mechanism of EtO carcinogenesis
Absorption and distribution
The main route of exposure to EtO is through inhalation, since this toxic chemical is a gas. After inhalation, EtO reaches the bloodstream and can circulate quickly throughout the body, reaching multiple organs, including the bone marrow, lymphatic tissue, and breast tissue.
EtO reactivity and carcinogenicity
As an alkylating agent, EtO doesn't need metabolic activation to cause harmful effects. It reacts directly with the DNA, RNA, and proteins. Some of the toxic chemical is detoxified by enzymes, but significant amounts still escape this mechanism. After binding to DNA, EtO interferes with replication, and if the DNA's repair systems fail to correct the damage, the mutations persist.
Chromosomal damage and epigenetic alterations
Beyond mutations, EtO exposure also causes chromosomal aberrations, including sister chromatid exchanges, micronuclei formation, and abnormal chromosome numbers (aneuploidy). This genomic issue is linked to blood cancers such as leukemia and lymphoma. EtO may also cause epigenetic alterations that interfere with DNA repair genes and accelerate carcinogenesis.
File your ethylene oxide exposure claim with ELG Law
If you’ve been diagnosed with cancer due to EtO exposure, you should immediately seek legal counsel. You might be eligible to file a legal complaint against the employer, the company, or the facility responsible for your exposure and illness.
At ELG Law, our toxic exposure attorneys will begin evaluating your case as soon as you provide a few documents: employment records (if you were exposed during work at an EtO-emitting facility), or proof of residence (if you live in a home within four miles of such a facility), and medical records that link to an EtO exposure-related cancer
If you have lost a family member to a cancer caused by EtO exposure, you may be eligible to file a wrongful death claim. Reach out to our team as quickly as possible to learn more about the available legal options and take the following steps towards justice.
