CLONAL CHROMOSOME-ABERRATIONS IN MYELOID-LEUKEMIA AFTER STYRENE EXPOSURE

Objectives The purpose of the study was to determine the risk of myelo id leukemia subclassified according to clonal chromosome aberrations i n styrene-exposed workers. Methods A nested case-referent study was ca rried out on 19 myeloid leukemia patients, of which 12 showed clonal c hromosome aberrations, and 57 referents ascertained within the Danish reinforced plastics industry and similar industries with no styrene ex posure. Results A 2.5-fold increased risk for myeloid leukemia with cl onal chromosome aberrations (95% confidence interval 0.2-25.0) was fou nd among workers of companies with styrene exposure. Conclusions The r esults suggest that styrene may cause leukemia through a clastogenic e ffect. But similar findings could also have been found if the exposure was associated with a specific subtype of leukemia prone to develop t he chromosome aberrations in question. Due to the few observations and the lack of detailed exposure data, additional studies are needed to corroborate or refute the present suggestive findings.