[Mike F]

New study re: dioxin and multiple myeloma

by Mike F on Wed Oct 24, 2018 11:09 am

An article was just published which claims to be the first to establish a direct mechanistic link between dioxin exposure and multiple myeloma. I'm not sure where things stand with compensation for those exposed to Agent Orange, but this ought to help if there are still problems with that.

The article abstract is as follows:

Although epidemiologic studies have suggested a possible association between occu­pa­tional exposures to 2,3,7,8-tetrachlorodibenzo-p-dioxin (TCDD) and the risk of develop­ment of multiple myeloma, definitive evidence in support of this association is lacking. In the present study, we employed the Vk*Myc mouse model of multiple myeloma to assess the impact of TCDD exposure on multiple myeloma pathogenesis. TCDD induced splenomegaly and multiple peripheral blood abnormalities, including anemia and high serum IgG levels. In addition, TCDD triggered bone lytic lesions, as well as renal protein deposition, a phenomenon associated with human myeloma kidney disease. Even in wild-type C57BL/6 mice, TCDD increased serum IgG levels, induced anemia, and increased plasma cell presence in the spleen and bone marrow, hallmarks of benign monoclonal gammopathy. Lastly, TCDD induced AKT activation and the DNA damage response, key pathogenic events in myeloma pathogenesis, in animal spleen and/or bone marrow. These data indicate that TCDD accelerates monoclonal gammopathy develop­ment and promotes progression to multiple myeloma in genetically-predisposed mice. This work offers the first direct experimental evidence establishing TCDD as an environmental risk factor for monoclonal gammopathy of undetermined significance and multiple myeloma.

The article reference is as follows:

Wang, L, et al, "2,3,7,8-tetrachlorodibenzo-p-dioxin (TCDD) Induces Peripheral Blood Abnormalities and Plasma Cell Neoplasms Resembling Multiple Myeloma in Mice," Cancer Letters, October 19, 2108 (full text of article)

[Multibilly]

Re: New study re: dioxin and multiple myeloma

by Multibilly on Wed Oct 24, 2018 5:38 pm

Thanks Mike,

Another good reason to eat organic (many pesticides contain dioxins) and use only unbleached coffee filters (the bleaching process used to make coffee filters bright white produces dioxins).

[NWLanding]

Re: New study re: dioxin and multiple myeloma

by NWLanding on Wed Oct 24, 2018 10:28 pm

I used to be a wildland firefighter and was on an initial attack on a Weyerhaeuser harvest unit that had be sprayed with what we referred to as a triple header herbicide treatment two weeks prior to the escaped burning of landing debris. Burning wood can also emit natural levels of dioxin, and after nearly 20 years of exposure, I'm not surprised that there may be a nexus between my smoldering multiple myeloma and natural or industrially generated dioxin. The next step is to analyze the population of individuals that may have been exposed to all sources of dioxin, but I'm not holding my breath.

[Nancy Shamanna]

Re: New study re: dioxin and multiple myeloma

by Nancy Shamanna on Thu Oct 25, 2018 8:37 am

This study looked at myeloma patients in regards to where they lived. 'Clusters' of patients may be found sometimes and then an epidemiological study could be done to determine what risk factors could be present in the environment. in this study, patients were clustered near lakes and oceans which were contaminated by dioxins, especially concentrated in the fish and shellfish.

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/8993797

Dioxins were/are also found in herbicides, as Multibilly mentioned.

I have read that firefighters are at a greater risk for myeloma due to their exposure to carcinogens. and I think that in some jurisdictions it is considered an occupational hazard and one could apply for compensation for that.