 HAVE YOU BEEN EXPOSED TO BENZENE?
Exposure to benzene is toxic and potentially fatal. At high concentrations, benzene may cause the central nervous system to slow down to fatal levels.
Benzene exposure has been linked to various forms of cancer, including acute myelogenous leukemia and acute myeloid leukemia (AML). Exposure to benzene has also been linked to a group of conditions known as myelodysplastic syndromes, which involve dangerous changes in a person's bone marrow.
A third health problem associated with benzene exposure is secondary aplastic anemia, which is characterized by a failure of the bone marrow to form blood cells.
Another condition linked to long-term benzene exposure is pancytopenia, which is the broad label for the accelerated destruction of all three major types of blood cells (white blood cells, red blood cells, and platelets).
Benzene is found in crude oil and is a major component of gasoline. At room temperature, it is a colorless or light yellow liquid with a sweet odor. It is a highly flammable liquid and evaporates quickly.
Benzene generally does not exist on its own but is found in a mixture of chemicals, such as gasoline. It is also present in tobacco smoke. Benzene is used in the manufacture of many common household products, such as rubber, paint, pesticides, and plastics.
| Conditions Associated With Benzene Exposure: Symptoms and Treatment |
WHO IS AT RISK?
Generally, only long-term exposure to benzene will result in bone marrow damage. People who have worked in the petroleum or petro-chemical industries or who were involved in benzene transportation are most at risk. Those involved in the manufacturing industry are also at risk, as the manufacture of many household products involves the use of benzene.
SHORT TERM BENZENE EXPOSURE
Exposure to high levels of benzene for even a short time will slow down the central nervous system to dangerous levels. Symptoms of short-term benzene exposure include:
- Nausea/vomiting
- Headaches/confusion
- Elevated heart rate (ataxia)
- Loss of consciousness
LONG TERM BENZENE EXPOSURE
It is primarily long-term benzene exposure which leads to the potentially fatal conditions.
Cancers
The cancers associated with prolonged benzene exposure include types of leukemia and related conditions. The two primary types of cancer associated with benzene exposure are acute myeloid leukemia and acute myelogenous leukemia. Benzene-induced leukemia may develop 5-15 years after the exposure has occurred.
Acute myeloid leukemia is caused by damage to the DNA of developing cells. There is no cure, but patients are usually treated with chemotherapy or radiation which kill the cancerous cells.
Acute myelogenous leukemia affects immature blood cells and is a rapidly progressing cancer. Patients with bone marrow damage suffer from an increased susceptibility to infection, tiredness, increased bleeding, and temporary hair loss. In extreme cases, severe bone marrow damage will require a bone marrow transplant.
Pancytopenia
Pancytopenia is a broad condition associated with benzene exposure, and it encompases three disorders which involve the destruction of each of the three major types of blood cells.
Granulocytopenia is the destruction of white blood cells, which inhibits the body's ability to fight off infection.
Thrombocytopenia, the destruction of platelets, can lead to hemorrhaging.
Paroxysmal nocturnal hemoglobinuria, the accelerated destruction of red blood cells, causes dangerous bleeding into the urine. All three are potentially fatal.
Anemia
Benzene-induced aplastic anemia is caused by bone marrow failure, and can develop into leukemia if untreated. Anemia occurs when the body does not have enough red blood cells to function properly. Red blood cells transport oxygen, so if these cells are damaged the body will not have enough oxygen or enough energy. The heart is forced to work harder to pump more blood and circulate more oxygen though the body.
Symptoms of anemia are :
- Extreme fatigue
- Weakness
- Confusion or dizziness
- Pale skin, including lips, nail beds and palms
- Feeling cold
Myelodysplastic syndromes
Myelodysplastic syndromes are also caused by benzene expsoure. They are considered a form of blood and bone marrow cancer. Almost 1/3 of people who suffer from a myelodysplastic syndrome develop acute myelogenous leukemia. There is no definitive cure for these syndromes, but transfusions and drug therapy (primarily growth factors) can manage the fatigue and prevent bleeding and infections.
The are several types of myelodysplastic syndromes. A few include:
- Refractory anemia: low red blood cell count but normal white blood cell and platelet levels
- Refractory anemia with ringed sideroblasts: decreased number of red blood cells; those that are present contain excess iron
- Refractory cytopenia with multilineage dysplasia: two of the three types of blood cells are abnormal, and less than 1% of the cells in the bloodstream are immature
Symptoms of these syndromes involve:
- Fatigue
- Shortness of breath
- Unusual paleness
- Easy or unusual bleeding or bruising
- Pinpoint sized red spots just beneath the skin
- Unintentional weight loss
- Frequent infections
| Do I Qualify for a Benzene Lawsuit? |
If you or a member of your family has been exposed to benzene, then you may qualify for a lawsuit claim. Thousands of people have already filed claims.
In America today there are thousands of mass lawsuits and billions of dollars in unclaimed monies available for victims. If you have been wronged by a major corporation, you may be entitled to compensation for treatments and pain and suffering. |
Claim Evaluation Form 