This systematic review and meta-analysis examined data from 95 human studies involving both occupational and environmental benzene exposure. The researchers looked at how this chemical exposure affects the risk of developing lymphoid neoplasms and their specific subtypes. The analysis included a total of 95 studies to provide a broad view of the evidence.
The study found a significantly increased risk of overall lymphoid neoplasms among those exposed to benzene compared to those who were not exposed. The risk was particularly elevated for B-cell neoplasms. However, the data did not show a significant increase in risk for T-cell and natural killer cell neoplasms overall.
The researchers noted that historical challenges in classifying these diseases and differences in how environmental exposures were measured could affect the results. Despite these limitations, the findings support the need for better occupational safety and environmental health policies. This large review helps clarify the link between benzene and these specific cancers, though it does not prove benzene causes them directly.
