ABSTRACT
Earlier, the benzene-containing adhesives were produced in very simple and small shops or plants. Consequently, since 1961, numerous cases of aplastic anemia have been noted. Benzene concentrations near retrogravure machines were 200 to 400 ppm, and benzene concentrations in the air near workers handling glue in shoe factories were 25 to 600 ppm. The benzene cohort and the control cohort consisted of 28,460 benzene exposed workers and 28,257 control workers in the latter. Acute myeloid leukemia is the most frequent of benzene-mediated leukemia, both in the larger group of patients and single case reports due to chronic benzene toxicity. The high frequency of preleukemia in some series of benzene leukemia is another striking feature of chronic benzene toxicity. Another hypothesis is that of the activation of a latent leukemogenic virus or viral oncogens by chemical carcinogens including benzene. Toxic insults, such as ionizing radiation and chemical carcinogens, may cause depression of oncogene.
