Leukaemia links

-- Explaining the rise of 400 per cent
cases of leukaemia, Raymond
Liang Hin-Suen of the University of
Hong Kong has recently postulated
the incidence of the malady with
exposure to organic solvents.
"There is no hard evidence," he
warned, "but there is suspicion."
He had studied 67 patients.

The Hong Kong researcher
noted that there was a rise in
bone marrow cancer among local
residents annually numbering
from 10 in 1980 to 40 till
today. His team
diagnosed a
'myelodysplastic syndrome'-
better known
as an effect of
exposure to
high-dose radiation. "We are
these seeing a
pre-leukaemia, symptoms," says
Lang, 'When you look at the bone
marrow, their red cells and white
cells are all affected. This is commonly seen in radiation, in victims
of atomic bombs."

Treatment of this fatal disease
is very difficult. Initially, patients
visit the hospital only to receive
transfusions. If their condition
deteriorates, they are hospitalised.
Younger patients can get bone
marrow transplants, although this
operation gives them less than
30 per cent chance of survival.

Two Hong Kong hospitals are
investigating these patients' previous working conditions and exposure to chemicals. As most of them
were found to be unexposed to
radiation, the medicos bad to look
for other explanations.

Liang noted that his patients
were exposed to petroleum-derived organic chemicals and solvents. These included kerosene
used for cooking, organic solvents
in paints and lacquers and benzene. Claiming the research to be
of a very general character, Liang
said efforts are on to chart each
patient's history of over-exposure
to different chemicals.