DOES BENZENE CAUSE MULTIPLE-MYELOMA - AN ANALYSIS OF THE PUBLISHED CASE-CONTROL LITERATURE

Two case series and two epidemiological studies in the 1970s and 1980s suggested that benzene exposure might be a risk factor for multiple m yeloma. An analysis has now been conducted of the published population -based and hospital-based case-control studies published through mid-1 995 that permit examination of the relationship between multiple myelo ma and benzene exposure or surrogates for benzene exposure. No increas ed association was found between multiple myeloma and benzene exposure or exposure to chemical groups that included benzene. The odds ratios from these analyses approximated 1.0. Exposures to petroleum products and employment in petroleum-related occupations did not appear to be risk factors for multiple myeloma. Cigarette smoking, as a surrogate o f benzene exposure, was not found to be associated with multiple myelo ma, while some studies of products of combustion described as ''engine exhaust'' did show a significant association with multiple myeloma. I n tote, the population-based and hospital-based case-control literatur e indicated that benzene exposure was not a likely causal factor for m ultiple myeloma.