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AML And Benzene
Acute myelogenous leukemia (AML) is a blood cancer that is most often seen in elderly patients. In the blood, the myeloid cell levels are normally regulated by the body, but in people with AML, that regulation is absent. The myeloid cells keep reproducing until they start to interfere with the function of normal red blood cells, causing easy bleeding or bruising, as well as fatigue and fever.
The surest cause of AML is genetic. Some people have genetic irregularities that disrupt the genes that allow the body to regulate its myeloid cell levels, and these irregularities can cause the cells to build up and cause AML. However, there are more and more cases arising in which there does not appear to be a genetic cause of leukemia.
A family history is the clearest sign that a disease may be genetic in nature, but these cases show no AML in their extended families. A leading theory is that in these people, AML is caused by an environmental hazard that may be damaging the genes that allow for proper myeloid cell regulation. Many people exposed to atomic bomb blasts died of leukemias that may have been caused by radiation, and toxic chemicals such as benzene have been strongly linked to non-genetic cases of AML.
If you have acute myelogenous leukemia but have no family history of the disease, you may have been exposed to benzene. This carcinogen is found in most petroleum products, and people who work in chemical manufacturing can be heavily exposed to benzene. The public at large can also be exposed to benzene through environmental hazards that have seeped into the drinking water. If you would like a free evaluation of whether your leukemia may have been caused by benzene exposure, give us a call at the Benzene Leukemia Legal Help Project today. Our experts can determine if you have a case, and will set you up with a team of lawyers who can help you fight for compensation.
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