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Re: Benzene and lymphohematopoietic malignancies in humans. Hayes et al. Am. J. Ind. Med. 40:117–126, 2001
Author(s) -
Robbins Anthony
Publication year - 2001
Publication title -
american journal of industrial medicine
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.7
H-Index - 104
eISSN - 1097-0274
pISSN - 0271-3586
DOI - 10.1002/ajim.10014
Subject(s) - medicine , context (archaeology) , benzene , occupational exposure , environmental health , paleontology , chemistry , organic chemistry , biology
The excellent review of exposure to benzene and resulting leukemia and other hematopoietic disorders by Hayes et al. [2001] enhances our knowledge about one of the most widely used carcinogenic chemicals. The review reinforces the observation that benzene causes hematopoietic malignancies at lower levels than earlier described. It confirms for us that the biological mechanism or mechanisms by which benzene causes these malignant transformations are not fully understood. It places the recent results of a US National Cancer Institute/Chinese Academy of Preventive Medicine Research Project in the context of older studies about benzene. For all the merit of this research review, it prompts me to raise several critical questions for all researchers dedicated to protecting workers. I arrive at these questions not solely from our experience studying benzene, but from the broad and encouraging history of occupational health research, as well as our rather discouraging record for applying the scientific results.