Chemically induced leukemia in humans.

Abstract

The human population may be exposed to potentially leukemogenic agents, either in the form of drugs and food additives or as environmental contaminants and pollutants. However, in spite of the large number and diversity of these chemicals, only a few have been implicated as human leukemogens. One such agent is benzene, a known bone marrow depressant. A number of case reports have associated chronic exposure to this agent with the development of acute leukemia, as have several epidemiologic surveys. Treatment with various antitumor agents, including procarbazine, melphalan, thio-TEPA, chlorambucil, and cyclophosphamide, has also been associated with the development of acute leukemia. In addition, chloramphenicol and phenylbutazone have been implicated as human leukemogens, but the association between exposure to these two agents and acute leukemia appears at present to be weaker than it is for benzene and antitumor agent exposure. Despite such associations between exposure to chemicals and acute leukemia, several important problems exist with regard to implicating specific agents in the development of this neoplasm in man, including the paucity of animal models for chemically induced leukemia, and the frequent necessity to rely on single case reports or clusters of cases in which chemical exposures are associated with acute leukemia. Future efforts should be directed at performing properly designed and well executed epidemiologic studies, and at developing new in vitro and in vivo models for the study of this neoplasm.

Combining QSAR Modeling and Text-Mining Techniques to Link Chemical Structures and Carcinogenic Modes of Action

“…In the current study, we found that immunosuppression was frequently mentioned in the literature concerning rat carcinogens affecting the hematopoietic system. This is an interesting finding, which is also in line with the known mechanisms of human carcinogens affecting this organ ( Adamson and Seiber, 1981 ; IARC, 2015 ). An association between immunosuppressant drugs and development of cancer in the hematopoietic system (lymphomas) in humans has also been shown previously ( Bugelski et al, 2010 ).…”

Modeling marrow damage from response data: evolution from radiation biology to benzene toxicity.

“…. .iu-'S.. Cronkite et al (29) Doubling time: Seems to be about 2 days from a survival of 1 0% and 4 days from a survival of 20%; times close to the previous study of Cronkite et al (27).…”

“…In 1961, Cronkite (26) concluded that any agent which produces marrow aplasia is a "putative leukemogen." Later, Adamson and Seiber (27) j.…”

A cancer register-based case study of occupations of patients with acute myeloid leukemia

“…An increased risk of leukemia has been reported among patients treated with immunosuppression or cancer chemotherapy. 6 The study of the etiologic role of environmental exposures in the development of leukemias has some advantages over those of most solid tumors. The lifespan of leukocytes of myeloblast origin is short; consequently, although they are considered less active in proliferation>* mutated stem cells may form clones of transformed cells that are liberated from bone marrow shortly after cell transformation.…”