OK, I've read some information about some link between exposure to certain chemicals and multiple myeloma. There seems to be some element of a 'smoking gun' there....and it occurred to me that this might be a factor in my own case.
Maybe.
My husband worked for Lockheed (Skunk Works) and was very heavily involved in some very toxic chemicals, and frankly, I attribute his death twenty years ago to that. Of course, he brought all that home on his clothes, and I got to wash them, etc.,
Have there been any studies about this issue, where exposure that long ago could contribute to Multiple Myeloma now? Any studies about the sort of 'second hand' exposure I got? (Not that it was all that 'second hand.." Sometimes his clothes were so saturated with benzene or something that they were still wet when he took them off at home).
Forums
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dianaiad - Who do you know with myeloma?: Me
- When were you/they diagnosed?: Officially...March 2013
- Age at diagnosis: 63
Re: Chemical exposure and risk of developing myeloma?
Benzene exposure is often mentioned as a risk factor for developing myeloma. See Dr. Shain's comments in a discussion here in the forum,
https://myelomabeacon.org/forum/post2711.html#p2711
as well as the news articles mentioned in this forum discussion:
https://myelomabeacon.org/forum/benzene-multiple-myeloma-t342.html
Also, some of the journal articles in this list,
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed?linkname=pubmed_pubmed_citedin&from_uid=3458965
may be helpful as well. You can read all the articles in the list for free. Just click on the "Free PMC Article" link for any article you want to read and you'll be able to see the full text.
https://myelomabeacon.org/forum/post2711.html#p2711
as well as the news articles mentioned in this forum discussion:
https://myelomabeacon.org/forum/benzene-multiple-myeloma-t342.html
Also, some of the journal articles in this list,
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed?linkname=pubmed_pubmed_citedin&from_uid=3458965
may be helpful as well. You can read all the articles in the list for free. Just click on the "Free PMC Article" link for any article you want to read and you'll be able to see the full text.
Re: Chemical exposure and risk of developing myeloma?
Hi Dianalad, I think that as well as knowing that benzene is a carcinogen that may be implicated in causing myeloma, the other part of your question is to know how long it takes to develop multiple myeloma after exposure to a carcinogen. multiple myeloma can be such a slow growing cancer, as seen sometimes by numerous lytic lesions on the bones, that I think this is why that even now exposure to Agent Orange from the 1960's can be implicated in causing multiple myeloma. When you think of the stages of MGUS, SMM and then multiple myeloma, which we know can go on for decades, I wonder if the MGUS itself is started off by exposure to carcinogens sometimes.
From a quick scan of the American Cancer Soc. info, it seems that the most exposure to benzene is from cigarette smoke or second hand smoke, then other industrial exposures too.
I think that outside of the military applications, there is some recognition of carcinogens being a 'cause' of multiple myeloma, as an occupational hazard.
From a quick scan of the American Cancer Soc. info, it seems that the most exposure to benzene is from cigarette smoke or second hand smoke, then other industrial exposures too.
I think that outside of the military applications, there is some recognition of carcinogens being a 'cause' of multiple myeloma, as an occupational hazard.
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Nancy Shamanna - Name: Nancy Shamanna
- Who do you know with myeloma?: Self and others too
- When were you/they diagnosed?: July 2009
Re: Chemical exposure and risk of developing myeloma?
Exposure to Petroleum Products:
In the 60's and 70's I was a high school wood shop teacher and I made all my furniture. I routinely washed my hands and arms in paint thinner. Worse than this, I taught my students to do the same. It was the only thing that would remove oil base stains from my skin. I imagine car mechanics did the same thing. I never thought of the paint thinner passing through my skin, entering my bloodstream and making me sick. DUH. I was diagnosed in 2004, and when the ball dropped at New Years Eve I celebrated 10 years fighting myeloma. I relapsed 2 years ago.
In the 60's and 70's I was a high school wood shop teacher and I made all my furniture. I routinely washed my hands and arms in paint thinner. Worse than this, I taught my students to do the same. It was the only thing that would remove oil base stains from my skin. I imagine car mechanics did the same thing. I never thought of the paint thinner passing through my skin, entering my bloodstream and making me sick. DUH. I was diagnosed in 2004, and when the ball dropped at New Years Eve I celebrated 10 years fighting myeloma. I relapsed 2 years ago.
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MikeJBaron - Name: Mike J Baron
- Who do you know with myeloma?: I have myeloma
- When were you/they diagnosed?: 2004
- Age at diagnosis: 56
Re: Chemical exposure and risk of developing myeloma?
Chemical agents are thought to play a roll. It is interesting that many of the survivors of the twin tower collapses on 9/11 have a higher rate of cancers including multiple myeloma than the population as a whole. Dust which contained released chemical agents were breathed in by many of the survivors including the first responders. Agent Orange as well as pesticides and sprays containing 2-4-D have long been suspected. There is also some evidence that may link multiple myeloma to the body overreacting to some viral infections. None of this has been proven only suspected and the evidence is all circumstantial. For example, not everyone exposed to Agent Orange or Pesticides gets cancer or multiple myeloma. In fact only a small percentage of people develop the disease. However, the percentage of patients that develop multiple myeloma that were exposed to these agents is higher than the general population. What it means is that some people are more predisposed to be impacted by certain chemical exposures. How do we identify that group? Genetic markers. That line of research has a long way to go but is getting a lot of attention in the last few years.
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Ron Harvot - Name: Ron Harvot
- Who do you know with myeloma?: Myself
- When were you/they diagnosed?: Feb 2009
- Age at diagnosis: 56
Re: Chemical exposure and risk of developing myeloma?
This topic got me thinking about how I came down with multiple myeloma. I was not in the armed forces and have not been exposed for long period of times to any unusual chemical agents that I can think of. There is no history in my family (either side) of multiple myeloma, in fact I am the only one on either side of the family that has it. Can't trace it back to any of the family tree at least the last couple of generations.
What I do know is that I have allergic reactions to bee and wasp venom (have broken out in hives), have seasonal allergies that have lead to numerous sinus infections and am alergic to sulfa based drugs (had serum fevor once when being treated for an upper repritory infection). Did my body, in an over reacttion to an alergen trigger multiple myeloma? Its possible but if so I would be in a small minority since it would be highly unlikely for people to develped multiple myeloma in response to such an exposure. Maybee my geneitcs made me more vulnerable.
Ron
What I do know is that I have allergic reactions to bee and wasp venom (have broken out in hives), have seasonal allergies that have lead to numerous sinus infections and am alergic to sulfa based drugs (had serum fevor once when being treated for an upper repritory infection). Did my body, in an over reacttion to an alergen trigger multiple myeloma? Its possible but if so I would be in a small minority since it would be highly unlikely for people to develped multiple myeloma in response to such an exposure. Maybee my geneitcs made me more vulnerable.
Ron
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Ron Harvot - Name: Ron Harvot
- Who do you know with myeloma?: Myself
- When were you/they diagnosed?: Feb 2009
- Age at diagnosis: 56
Re: Chemical exposure and risk of developing myeloma?
I have read studies that have shown that shipyard workers have shown a higher incidence of myeloma than the general population. There are a lot of different chemicals and materials used in the construction and repair of ships that are or could be considered hazardous that workers are exposed to that all add up over time. In my case when I was in the Navy I spent two years in Portsmouth Naval shipyard doing an overhaul on a submarine. Maybe that was the catalyst for me developing myeloma. What probably did not help much is we refueled the nuclear reactor so I also got a dose of radiation from that operation as well. The submarine I served on was built in the 70s when they were still using asbestos and that was being removed and replaced as well. We used to have to dress up in Tyvek suits that did not breathe at all and use full facemask respirators for protection. Once the asbestos was removed we no longer had to wear the protective gear but they still continued to monitor the air for asbestos. After we had stopped wearing the protective gear I was informed one day that there was a positive detection for asbestos in one of the air monitor detectors, and on top of that the sample showed a small amount of radioactivity and that I had been potentially exposed. I was told it was an extremely small amount and it should not affect my health at all. Maybe it didn’t, maybe it did, and I do not know how it could ever be proven. It is unusual to get Myeloma at age 44 though, is it less that 2% of those that get myeloma get it that young? I looked into a VA disability claim, but I am not a Vietnam Veteran so there is no automatic approval of disability by law, and they said I had no case, so nothing.
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Eric Hofacket - Name: Eric H
- When were you/they diagnosed?: 01 April 2011
- Age at diagnosis: 44
Re: Chemical exposure and risk of developing myeloma?
Here in Denver they are treating many oil field workers from surrounding states. My doc is convinced there is link to benzine exposure and myeloma, leukemia. They also treat many truck drivers that deliver fuel.
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JBarnes - Name: Jerry Barnes
- Who do you know with myeloma?: Self
- When were you/they diagnosed?: Aug 17, 2012
- Age at diagnosis: 54
Re: Chemical exposure and risk of developing myeloma?
I grew up in the heavily polluted part of northern NJ, before air and water pollution laws and regulations. If you''ve driven the NJ Turnpike, you know which stretch I'm talking about. Refineries and chemical plants.
None of my family has myeloma, but my father (who used to smoke) has had bladder cancer twice, his brother had lymphoma, my sister has thyroid issues, and one of my childhood friends has lymphoma. Connection? Who knows.
None of my family has myeloma, but my father (who used to smoke) has had bladder cancer twice, his brother had lymphoma, my sister has thyroid issues, and one of my childhood friends has lymphoma. Connection? Who knows.
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darnold - Name: Dana Arnold
- Who do you know with myeloma?: self
- When were you/they diagnosed?: May 2009
- Age at diagnosis: 52
Re: Chemical exposure and risk of developing myeloma?
Agent Orange exposure while serving in Vietnam in Dom's case. 
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Nanette - Name: Nanette "Deaux"
- Who do you know with myeloma?: My dear husband, Dominic
- When were you/they diagnosed?: Spring of 2008
- Age at diagnosis: 62
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