Leukemia in shoe workers exposed chronically to benzene

Abstract

From 1967 to September 1973, 26 patients with acute leukemia or preleukemia were seen in Istanbul among 28,500 shoeworkers exposed chronically to benzene. The incidence of leukemia among these workers was 13/100,000 which is a marked and statistically significant increase over that for leukemia in the general population and provides cogent evidence for the clinical impression of a leukemogenic effect of benzene in man.