Medical studies have linked Monsanto’s Roundup weed killer to an increased risk for cutaneous T-cell lymphoma, a potentially lethal form of skin cancer.
Free Confidential Lawsuit Evaluation: If you or a loved one was diagnosed with non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma after using Roundup weed killer, you should contact our law firm immediately. You may be entitled to compensation by filing a suit against Monsanto and our lawyers can help.
Roundup Cancer Study Links Glyphosate Toxicity to Non-Hodgkin Lymphoma
Over the past 30 years, there has been a massive increase in the number of reported cases of non-Hodgkin lymphoma, according to a 2014 scientific review published in the International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health. The study suggests that chemical pesticides and herbicides — particularly glyphosate, the active ingredient in Roundup — are a major contributing factor to the startling increase in cases of non-Hodgkin lymphoma.
The researchers looked at reviews and meta-analyses of three decade’s worth of epidemiological studies examining the link between cancer and occupational exposure to pesticides, attempting to reconcile an apparent trend among farm workers who have low mortality rates but high incidents of cancer. The authors concluded that exposure to Roundup may best explain this anomaly, as they determined that glyphosate exposure doubled a person’s risk of developing non-Hodgkin lymphoma.
What is Cutaneous T-Cell Lymphoma?
Cutaneous T-cell lymphoma (CTCL) is a rare type of non-Hodgkin lymphoma that affects the skin. The disease is caused by white blood cells, called T-cell lymphocytes, growing in an uncontrolled way. There are several different types of CTCL – the most common are mycosis fungoides and Sezary syndrome.
Signs and Symptoms
Most forms of cutaneous T-cell lymphoma start as flat red patches on the skin, which can sometimes be itchy. With darker skin, the patches may appear lighter or darker than the surrounding skin. In its early stages, the skin patches can look like eczema or psoriasis. Other symptoms of CTCL include lumps on the skin and swollen lymph nodes.
Cutaneous Lymphoma Treatment
Treatment options for patients diagnosed with CTCL may include:
- Skin-directed therapy – Treatment applied directly to the skin. May include medicated gels or ointments, ultraviolet light and radiation. The FDA has approved mechlorethamine gel (Valchlor) for the topical treatment of patients with mycosis fungoides who have received prior skin-directed therapy.
- Systemic therapy – Cancer treatment with one or more drugs that are absorbed and delivered across the entire body. Vorinostat (Zolinza) and denileukin diftitox (Ontak) have been approved to treat cutaneous T-cell lymphoma after the cancer has progressed or come back. Romidepsin (Istodax) is approved to treat patients who have received at least one prior chemotherapy medication.
- Allogeneic stem cell transplantation – Currently being studied as a treatment for CTCL. For this procedure, stem cells are taken from a donor and the patient is given high doses of chemotherapy to destroy as many cancer cells as possible. The stem cells are then transplanted to grow into healthy blood cells, boosting the person’s defense against infection.
CTCL Prognosis and Survival Rate
CTCL may remain confined to the skin for many years; however, the abnormal cells may eventually infiltrate other tissues including blood, lymph nodes, lungs, heart, liver and spleen. Unlike some other lymphomas, the long-term prognosis cutaneous lymphoma is generally good. Symptoms can usually be controlled with treatment.
Scientists Urge EPA to Ban Roundup
In June 2016, a delegation of independent scientists urged the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to ban Roundup, according to the Huffington Post. Providing testimony that the herbicide poses an unreasonable public health threat, scientists spoke with EPA officials in a closed meeting at the O’Neill House Office Building in Washington, D.C. The scientists laid out the physiological reasons why exposure to glyphosate toxicity can increase the risk of cancer, Alzheimer’s, birth defects, obesity and many other serious health problems.
Do I Have a Roundup Cancer Lawsuit?
The Class Action Litigation Group at our law firm is an experienced team of trial lawyers that focus on the representation of plaintiffs in Roundup lawsuits. We are handling individual litigation nationwide and currently accepting new lymphoma cases in all 50 states.
Free Case Evaluation: Again, if you got cancer from Roundup herbicide, you should contact our law firm immediately. You may be entitled to a settlement by filing a suit and we can help.