“…Nevertheless, interest in the oxidative damage caused by these solvents' toxic effects have only is relatively new, and thus the amount of evidence concerning their possible genotoxic and carcinogenic potential is scarce and still under discussion. Even though these substances are considered to be neither carcinogenic nor genotoxic to humans (IARC class 3 carcinogens, ie, not classifiable as to their carcinogenicity to humans), there is a growing amount of evidence suggesting increased (i) levels of markers of oxidative stress (10)(11)(12), (ii) rate of chromosomal aberrations or sister chromatid exchange (12)(13)(14), and (iii) incidence of various cancers among workers occupationally exposed to toluene or xylene [even at occupational exposures far below the respective occupational limits (15)(16)(17)(18)(19)(20)(21)]. Although precise mechanisms underlying the effects of toluene and xylene remain unknown, the role of oxidative stress, oxidative DNA damage and dysregulated cellular antioxidant levels have been implicated (22)(23)(24).…”