Northern Lights: Could Environmental Factors Be The Cause Of My Myeloma?
My husband and I recently took a road trip to Golden and Revelstoke in British Columbia. We hiked and went sightseeing among the mountains and lakes. It was truly beautiful there.
While driving down one country road, we passed a tractor that was mowing the tall grasses along the shoulder. Seeing that triggered my memory, since mowing is ‘low tech’ compared to other ways of clearing vegetation that I have noticed in the past. When I was young, I saw railway right-of-ways and the area under power lines being defoliated by herbicides.
The issue of using herbicides to clear around public roads and utilities was fresh in my mind since David Willson mentioned in his recent article for the Myeloma Beacon that the cause of his disease is presumed to be his exposure to the herbicide Agent Orange and other dioxins during his tour of duty in Vietnam between 1966 and 1967.
On looking up more about Agent Orange on Wikipedia, I read that this chemical was also tested in Canada at Canadian Forces Base Gagetown in New Brunswick between 1966 and 1967. Agent Orange was also used in British Columbia in the late ‘60s and early ‘70s in order to clear brush near highways and under power transmission lines. According to Wikipedia, Agent Orange was used under the name “Type B Weed and Brush Killer” for that purpose in Canada, though.
I was quite startled to read about the use of Agent Orange in Canada because when I was a teenager we lived in a small community on the west coast. Across the street from our house were railway tracks. That railway right-of-way was cleared occasionally by chemicals. Could I have been in contact with Agent Orange at age 15 or 16?
I learned that I must have had myeloma for a long time because of the large number of bone lesions I had when I was first diagnosed with multiple myeloma. However, since I had a high level of monoclonal protein in the blood, 50 percent plasma cell involvement in the marrow, and also several fractured vertebrae indicating extensive bone damage when I was diagnosed, I can’t know when this whole health problem got started for me.
In the topsy turvy world of myeloma, it can sometimes be better to have had myeloma for a long time. This can indicate that one’s variety of the disease is slow growing, or ‘indolent,’ as my transplant doctor explained. Of course, the word ‘indolent’ is not one that normally one would want to have applied to oneself, but in this case it is definitely okay.
Besides the possibility of being caught up in chemical spraying, I worked as a server in many smoke-filled restaurant rooms in my younger years. I paid my way through university that way, along with jobs in the hospitality industry.
Upon graduation with a bachelor of science in microbiology, I started working as a lab technician in a microbiology research lab. I handled chemicals, including organic solvents, as part of my job.
After that, I worked as a chemistry and biology teacher. I had a whole cupboard of toxic chemicals to look after. I was not deliberately ‘poisoning’ myself, but I probably was exposed to harmful chemicals through the skin and by breathing in fumes that were harmful.
One can’t help but wrack one’s brain trying to determine what got the whole unfortunate condition of myeloma started. A recent discussion in the Beacon forums shows that I’m not the only one thinking about this topic.
If we can determine the causes of cancer, then we can work on prevention in our society, so that others don’t get exposed to carcinogens, and so that those of us with cancer do not continue to expose our weakened systems to carcinogens.
Studies have shown a rapid increase in the rate of myeloma over the past few decades. This increase could well be linked to environmental factors. Wouldn’t it be great to see that rate decrease due to greater awareness and avoidance of the triggers of this cancer?
Do you have some thoughts on how environmental factors may have contributed to your myeloma?
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The quotation for this month is from Rachel Carson (1907 - 1964), an American biologist and writer, well known for her environmental book ‘Silent Spring’ (1962), who wrote "A rainy day is the perfect time for a walk in the woods."
Nancy Shamanna is a multiple myeloma patient and a columnist at The Myeloma Beacon. You can view a list of her columns here.
If you are interested in writing a regular column to be published by The Myeloma Beacon, please contact the Beacon team at .
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Hi Nancy,
The following is a copy of one of my posts.
I am pretty sure my myeloma is the result of exposure to known and unknown chemicals during my life.
I grew up in a region where aerial spraying of the banana plantations occurred. Apparently there was an increase in the incidence of birth defects.
My father was a dentist and his practice was at the back of our house. Mercury and other chemicals were stored in our house (2 rooms away from the kitchen!).
My grandmother used to use organophosphates on the garden, they were stored under the house. As children we were told not to go in there - it was a great hiding spot. I can visualise all those rusting containers.
My parents owned a pecan orchard and used chemicals on the trees and crops we would grow in between the trees.
If the above wasn't enough to send me on the myeloma pathway I think that being a molecular biologist and working with radiation, carcinogens and mutagens probably tipped the scales.
In addition, I left science when I had my first child and we moved to a cotton growing area where there are a lot of chemicals used. After one flood when the mosquitos were really bad the whole area was aerial sprayed. You could smell the chemicals.
I don't know how long the myeloma was smouldering away before I was diagnosed. When I was diagnosed I had a lot of bone lesions in the spine but only 1 fracture (at that time). Two years prior to diagnosis a blood test showed a total protein level just a smidge over normal.
I will never know for sure what was the exact trigger but in my case I think that the environmental factors played a big role.
Take care,
Libby
HI Libby, I realized that we had some experiences in common after reading your posts...
Thankfully we have both been treated in an era where there are very effective drugs and in your case, allo transplant, available. The novel drug Bortezimib was only approved in Alberta in 2008, a year before my dx. Then Revlimid was approved in 2010, just months before I received it. So I have felt that even if my dx came sooner, I wouldn't have had such great results with the myeloma. Thus although I know I must have had myeloma for a long time, at least it was treatable in this modern age.
I am still interested in science research though, which is a good reason to read the Beacon's columns...how about you?
Hi Nancy,
My mother died of myeloma the year before I was diagnosed with myeloma and more recently my dad was found to have MGUS. However, I've never been able to come up with any obvious environmental factors that would explain any of this and my own feeling is that my mother's side of the family may have a genetic predisposition to blood cancers: she had myeloma but also her brother had Hodgins lymphoma.
That said, I come from a long lived family. My mother was diagnosed at age 84 and my dad's MGUS was discovered at age 90 and sometimes I think that a lot more people would be diagnosed with myeloma or MGUS if they were fortunate enough to live such long lives. I imagine that the increase in the rates of myeloma must be in part due to people living longer but I'm sure that you are right about exposure to toxic chemicals and the like. Nowadays I'm much more aware of what's in things and I do my best to body swerve the nasty stuff wherever possible.
Hi Dorothy, It seems that the causes of myeloma are 'multi-factorial', and you can't always say it is environmental. I am sorry that you have had it in your family like that, and I hope that your Dad's MGUS just stays as such also. I think that many more people would be diagnosed with MGUS were the appropriate tests done.
We do know that there are known carcinogens in the environment and now being more aware, strive to avoid contact with them too. Best wishes to you, and you too, Libby!
I found these articles very interesting. I was diagnosed with MGUS almost 3 years ago now. As with Dorothy there is a family history of MM for me...two cousins on my Mom's side and two cousins on my Dad's side...and it has gone down to the next generation with my niece. Environmental factors are also a consideration..I lived in an industrial town and worked for in a steel mill for 27 years. My M-1 spike started off at 2.1 and is now 4.4...plasma cells on my first bone marrow biopsy showed 7% and is now at 58%. I went to Ohio State University in May to consult for a possible stem cell transplant. They said it would probably be within two years but my oncologist here says it will be sooner. It is hard to determine if my pain comes from the myeloma or fibromyalgia. I go quite frequently for blood work and hold my breath each time that I won't have to start chemo. I have an appointment Aug 28. Best wishes to all.
Best wishes to you too, Rebecca. Thanks for sharing about your family's history of MM. If I could say something about chemotherapy, it is that with the Velcade/dex regime I was on before having a stem cell transplant...it was not unbearable at all and did drive my myeloma into a very good partial response, near to a remission. I did feel a lot better after that. I think that the term 'tumour burden' is real in how the cancer can drag one down.
There is no doubt that environmental exposure to chemicals throughout life is a major risk factor for myeloma, its precursor MGUS, as well as other cancers. While it is too late for those of us with these diagnoses, I feel that scientists need to consider the use for any synthetic chemicals in our environment to be a potentially carcinogenic and teratogenic factor. The interplay between a genetic predisposition and its expression is indeed complex, but we do know that epigenetics, that is, the expression of genes, is modulated by the environment present during mitoses.
Inevitably mutations occur, and over time are responsible for evolution. Usually our immune system is able to suppress the growth of mutated cell lines, which occur for all of us. However, genetic predispositions in our immunocompetence and metabolism make some of us high risk for carcinogenic mutations. It then is a matter of timing and dose of environmental insults that lead to various neoplasias. Few medical disorders are purely genetic or environmental. Even the expression of Down's syndrome (trisomy 21) varies according to the environment an affecting child is brought up in, and not only the physical, but mental and emotional factors.
So it is up to all of us to make wise choices with the use of organic foods, and avoidance of toxic pesticides and environmental pollutants in our air, water, and earth. The health of all species on Earth is dependent on it! The mechanism is complex, but the concept is quite simple and intuitive. We cannot turn back the clock, but the health of future generations are dependent on our stewardship of Mother Earth.
Well said Dr. Jan!! I hope that you are doing better now with your treatments too.
As a society it is important that we minimize the effects of carcinogens. The other life on earth needs our help too of course...
I suppose that what has puzzled me is just how many mutations it takes to create an oncogenic state in oneself. I am striving to maintain a strong immune system now to stay healthy.
Hardy Jones' book "The Voice of the Dolphins" is an eye-opener, revealing that dolphins also are afflicted by multiple myeloma with high incidence of the disease generally occurring in parts of the ocean that are highly polluted. Jones himself has multiple myeloma but continues to be actively involved in the fight to limit pollution of the oceans and exploitation of dolphins. I totally agree that awareness of the effects of chemical pollutants should extend to other species.
Libby,
There needs to be some clarification regarding US Vietnam veterans, Agent Orange, and cancers. There is no doubt that Agent Orange is a carcinogen and in the way it was applied and used in Vietnam resulted in a wide range of cancers for the troops who served there. In the past when a Vietnam veteran developed a cancer he believed was related to Agent Orange exposure during their service there and filed a disability claim with the VA, the VA would require them to show proof of exposure before approving the claim. How do you prove 20 or even 10 or 5 years later that you were sprayed with the agent while on patrol in the jungle? That is really hard and many claims were denied and tied up red tape. Eventually after many complaints Congress passed a law stating that anyone who served in the Vietnam theater of operations, no matter where, or what their duties were, or for how long, and develops one of the long list of cancers associated with exposure to agent Orange, it will be “presumed” agent Orange is the cause of the cancer and disability and medical treatment will be approved. You do not have to prove any exposure to Agent Orange. This means that if my father, who never stepped foot on the ground in Vietnam, but flew missions in B-52s “in the Vietnam area of operations” at high altitude well above any agent Orange, developed myeloma it would be presumed that agent Orange was the cause and he would get medical treatment and disability from the VA just by showing his service record that he flew missions over Vietnam, even 50 years later, case closed. This same law covers another set of veterans who also just need to show they were there, veterans of US atomic nuclear testing. There is lots of information about this on veterans related affairs web sites on the internet. This law only applies to this group of veterans, you could have been serving state side in the US and been taking a bath in Agent Orange and you would have to show evidence that you did.
As for myself, there are two environmental factors that stand out as potential causes for my myeloma. I spent a few years working in a Navy shipyard, and shipyard works tend to have a higher incidence of myeloma than the general population, and I was serving on a nuclear submarine in the engineering division, where I worked with nuclear reactors. Because the shipyard was in New Hampshire and not Vietnam, I have to provide evidence that my myeloma is related to exposure to some agent while I was working there to receive medical treatment or disability.
After looking into everything I could find regarding myeloma and environmental causes after I was diagnosed, I believe that exposure to chemical agents is probably the most likely cause for most people. It is interesting that workers in certain occupations show a higher incidence of myeloma, such as farm works who handle pesticides, petro chemical workers, leather processing workers, and cosmologist who work with certain hair dyes.
Hi Holt, Well it makes sense that other mammals could also have the same sort of blood cancers that we do. I looked up Hardy Jones and see that he is involved with marine conservation, having a background in wildlife documentary making. Marine pollution is such a growing concern. On the one hand, we have seen increases in cetacean populations due to increased protection (not everywhere, but in most countries ), but then on the other hand, we have huge gyres of plastic waste circulating in the Pacific, run offs from polluted rivers and the like.
My husband and I have been on many whale watching trips in Hawaii and also iN B.C. When you see how world culture switched over from using whale oil in lamps before the electric light bulb was invented, to now having a lot more protection for them, it's hopeful. But I guess that the pollution is still not under control world wide! Mass die offs of dolphins in Peru was what I read concerning Dr. Jones, on the internet. His book was not in our public library system, however.
Hi Eric, Thanks for the info about coverage for veterans of the US military regarding chemical exposures to Agent Orange and also radiation testing. I saw lately on the BBC News online that the US gov't is also helping the country of Vietnam to clean up contaminated soil there that was soaked with Agent Orange. Even 40 years later, this is a news item that doesn't completely go away...a cautionary tale from decades ago that hopefully guides current use of chemicals.
I mentioned it in my column as one of a possible list of chemical exposures that may have started my myeloma, since it is newsworthy and also since unfortunately my younger brother has had several friends from that area where we lived who have passed away from cancer. None had myeloma that I am aware of, but still, they were relatively young and spent a lot of time in their youth playing in the out of doors. The irony is that we always thought it was so healthy to be outdoors , but such is not always the case. Even cases of skin cancer have been linked to being outside too much. (There was no sunscreen when we were growing up.)
Hi, everybody.
In my opinion there is no doubt that getting mm fundamentally depends on environmental factors. Again in my opinion, mm is not a genetical disese but probably we could look at it more properly as at an "accident", i.e. something that insulted our cells.
To be honest I have not read the whole article and comments but once again I am surprised at not seeing radiation (elecromagnetic radiation in particular) highlighted as one of the main, or the main, cause of bone marrow injuries.
There have been 3 cases of bone marrow cancer in people in my building, belonging to different families (so with different genetics). All of them used to live in the same part of the building and what was this part ? It was the closest to hi voltage ducts.
Once I met, during an excursion, a very old couple living in a cottage on the top of a hill and they told us they had 2 sons and both had died of leukemia in their forties. A hi voltage duct was just passing a few meter over their house.
Hi Tiziano, You put forward another interesting theory (albeit sad, because we are talking about MM) concerning 'non ionizing radiation'. We know that 'ionizing radiation' such as Xrays and gamma rays in excess have been implicated in cancers. I returned to Wikipedia, which I think is a good source for the general reader. There is a lot of controversy concerning non ionizing radiation, and whether it can be proved if it causes blood cancers. (This even reaches into the debate about whether or not cell phone usage can be harmful). It seems to depend somewhat upon the dosage. The US military has some guidelines about that (they seem to have categorized a lot of hazards). Hope you are well and that all others readers are too.
Are you able to move to another building, if you do not think that it is safe in your building? Even for peace of mind, that might help.