Bladder Cancer Risk Factors
A risk factor is anything that affects your chance of getting a disease such as cancer. Different cancers have different risk factors. You can change some risk factors, like smoking or weight others, like your age or family history, you cant.
But having a risk factor, or even many, does not mean that you will get the disease. Many people with risk factors never get bladder cancer, while others with this disease may have few or no known risk factors.
Still, its important to know about the risk factors for bladder cancer because there may be things you can do that might lower your risk of getting it. If you’re at higher risk because of certain factors, you might be helped by tests that could find it early, when treatment is most likely to be effective.
Many risk factors make a person more likely to develop bladder cancer.
Cancer Risk: What The Research Says
There is no clear answer from research and health authorities on whether glyphosate leads to cancer. A meta-analysis found that there was a direct link between a exposure to GBH and an increased risk for developing non-Hodgkins lymphoma, and that association is the strongest among those exposed to high levels of GBH. However, others argued that the evidence is inconsistent and consists of only a few studies and that more research is needed.
A report released by the World Health Organization states that the chemical is probably carcinogenic to humans based on findings from the International Agency for Research on Cancer. However, the EPA concluded in its report that glyphosate is not likely to be carcinogenic in humans.
Affect Of Roundup On Animals
Roundup is thought to have “sufficient evidence” of being carcinogenic in animals according to the IARC.
In a 2020 review of several studies on rats and mice , there was relatively strong evidence that glyphosate can lead to hemangiosarcomas , kidney tumors, and lymphomas. Other tumors that were found to be increased included basal cell cancers of the skin, tumors of the adrenal gland, and liver tumors.
Looking at the underlying mechanism , a different study found that glyphosate was able to induce the mutations in B cells that can play a role both in B-cell non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma and multiple myeloma.
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What You Need To Know About A Popular Weed Killers Alleged Link To Cancer
Clumps of dandelions have popped up in your yard, so you reach for a bottle of Roundup, the popular weed killer. It is known for being very effective, but its main ingredient, glyphosate, is getting a lot of attention because of lawsuits alleging links to cancer.
Last week, a federal jury ordered Monsanto, the maker of Roundup, to pay $80 million to a 70-year-old man with cancer who had used it for three decades on his 56 acres in Sonoma County, Calif. The jury found that Roundup was a substantial factor in his illness.
Bayer AG, which bought Monsanto last year, said it would appeal the decision.
Last year, a California superior court jury in San Francisco reached a similar verdict against Monsanto in favor of a groundskeeper with the same disease non-Hodgkin lymphoma, a potentially fatal cancer of the immune system. Monsanto also appealed that decision.
Glyphosate is by far the most widely used herbicide in the United States, and probably worldwide. It is used on nearly every acre of corn, cotton and soybeans grown in the U.S. You may have sprayed it on your lawn or garden.
But many jurisdictions, in more than two dozen countries, have banned or restricted its use. Among the latest: Los Angeles County announced last month that it was suspending use of glyphosate on county property until more is known about its health effects.
Lets try to provide a few answers:
Q: What is glyphosate, and what is it used for?
Q: How extensive is human exposure to glyphosate?
Canine Cancers Linked To Lawn Care Chemicals
Most dogs love being free to run in the yard, especially if theyve spent all day inside. Its good exercise for them, but unfortunately, it could also be hurting them too.
Many homeowners use fertilizers to give their yard a bright green hue. The same fertilizers that keep grass healthy and thriving may also be hurting animals, including our pets. The effect may not be immediately obvious, but the chemicals create lasting health problems once ingested or absorbed by animals.
Read on to learn more about how canine cancers have been linked to lawn care chemicals. People may assume that fertilizers get washed away in heavy rain or completely absorbed by the grass, but much of it ends up on the paws of free-roaming pups and other wildlife. If given the opportunity to learn about the dangers of lawn care chemicals, more people may avoid using them.
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New Research Could Change The Controversial Classification Of Glyphosate
Several studies of glyphosate and cancer are ongoing, and more are coming out each year.
“The has often changed its classification of an agent based on new evidence after initial evaluation,” Richard Stevens, a professor at the University of Connecticut School of Medicine who specializes in cancer and its causes, wrote in a post for The Conversation. “Sometimes it has become more certain that the agent poses a hazard, but in other cases it has downgraded the hazard.”
New evidence could suggest that glyphosate is incredibly harmful, or not at all a risk. As Stevens points out, new evidence dramatically changed the public perception of another popular product which was initially labeled cancerous a zero-calorie sweetener called saccharin, which is sold under the brand name Sweet’ N Low.
In the 1980s, any product containing the sweetener was required to carry a warning label saying that it was “determined to cause cancer.” But the science was flawed: the rats that had been used in the studies were especially prone to bladder cancer, and the findings did not apply to people. So in 2016, the sweetener was removed from a list of cancer-causing ingredients.
For now, the Monsanto court cases reflect the determination of a jury, not the conclusion of the majority of scientific experts, though they do complicate the narrative.
In a statement to Business Insider, Bayer said this week’s verdict “conflicts directly with … the consensus among leading health regulators worldwide.”
Is Glyphosate Toxic To Humans
The International Agency for Research on Cancer categorizes glyphosate as a probable carcinogen for humans. In 2020, the EPA released a statement that glyphosate does not pose a risk to humans as long as it is used according to directions. They also stated that it is unlikely that it causes cancer in humans.
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States With The Highest Levels Of Roundup Usage
Roundup is predominantly used in agriculture, the biggest consumer of Roundup and glyphosate in the United States.
Throughout America, the state of Illinois maintains the highest agricultural use of glyphosate in the country, with more than 11,000 kilograms of the herbicide sprayed across Illinois farms in 2016.
Iowa ranks second in the use of Roundup at 10,915,748 kg., followed by Nebraska at 9,915,178 kg., Kansas at 8,864,771 kg., and North Dakota at 8,860,949 kg.
According to U.S. Geological Survey, high-end estimates for glyphosate use in 2016, Rhode Island has the smallest glyphosate consumption, not surprising for the smallest state, with only 750 kg of glyphosate used in 2016.
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Recovering Compensation From A Roundup Lawsuit Payout
If you or a loved one developed cancer after exposure to glyphosate, you may be eligible for Roundup lawsuit settlements. Most successful lawsuits provide the plaintiff with compensation for medical expenses, both those already incurred and anticipated future costs. Loss of income while recovering from cancer treatment is another common category of financial compensation.
You may be also be entitled to subjective damages such as pain and suffering, emotional distress, and loss of pleasure in life. Juries also reward punitive damages in the most egregious of roundup cases when the defendant showed reckless disregard for human life. This is intended more to punish the person or organization than to provide plaintiffs with compensation. Juries also use punitive damages to send a clear message to others who may attempt to get away with the same unlawful actions.
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In Vitro Cell Studies And Mechanisms Of Carcinogenicity
Scientists have looked at the effect of glyphosate on lymphocytes grown in a dish in the lab to evaluate potential DNA damage, as well as the type of damage that occurs if found.
Exposure to glyphosate was found to cause DNA damage similar to that seen with exposure to the common chemotherapy drug VePesid . This was an acute change, but the authors postulated that chronic exposure could result in cumulative damage over time. Other studies have also shown evidence of damage to DNA as well as chromosomes in human cell lines as well as the ability of glyphosate to trigger oxidative stress.
In an in-vitro study using human breast cancer cells, low concentrations of glyphosate , resulted in more rapid growth of tumors that were hormone-dependent . More rapid growth was not seen, however, in breast cancer cells that were not hormone dependent, suggesting that glyphosate has estrogen-like activity, at least in this setting.
While studies thus far have only been done in vitro, this should be evaluated further. Estrogen receptor-positive breast cancer is the most common type of breast cancer. In addition, it is the type of breast cancer that can recur many years or decades after the initial treatment of early-stage cancer , and it’s largely unknown why some tumors recur and others do not. Whether the antiestrogen therapies many women use after primary treatment would counteract any potential effect of glyphosate is unknown.
It Still Raises The Question: Should You Be Concerned
People who dont use glyphosate-based herbicides very often or at all probably dont have much to worry about. And although the jury is still out, science could suggest that landscapers, groundskeepers and farmers who frequently use the products in large doses might be at higher risk. Still, there are a lot of unanswered questions about the chemical.
Stillnervous about weed killer? Stop use or follow these precautions:
- Follow labels andwarnings carefully.
- Wear gloves, glassesand cover any exposed skin.
- Avoid use on rainy orwindy days to prevent the chemical from drifting.
- Wait until the treatedspace is dry before letting pets or people near the area.
Ortry an alternative to chemical herbicides:
- Try using vinegar on unwanted weeds.
- Make a homemade weed remedy for your yard.
- Stick to only using organic products.
- Fight weeds the old-fashion way pluck them out yourself.
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Herbicide Chemical Linked To Cancer Found In Majority Of Urine Samples In Cdc Study
A new Centers for Disease Control and Prevention study revealed a common herbicide chemical linked to cancer was detected in the majority of urine samples the public health agency reviewed.
The CDCs National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey, a program designed to assess the nutritional health of American adults and children, releaseddata last month showing that more than 80 percent of urine samples tested by the health agency were at or above the detection limit for glyphosate, which is widely considered to be a carcinogenic chemical and is the main ingredient in the weedkiller product Roundup.
About 2,310 urine samples were collected from people aged 6 years and older in 2013 and 2014, with about a third of the samples coming from children. The CDC said it conducted the study to get a clearer picture of how prevalent glyphosate is among the general population.
In a news release on Monday, the Environmental Working Group pointed out 87 percent of 650 children tested had detectable levels of glyphosate.
Alexis Temkin, a toxicologist at EWG, said that glyphosate is the most widely used herbicide in the country, yet until now we had very little data on exposure.
Glyphosate is used to kill weeds and grass and is most widely known in Roundup, the popular herbicide created by the company Monsanto.
Risks For Pregnant Women And Children
The effect on pregnancy caused by glyphosate exposure is most notably a shortened gestation period. One study found that 90% of the women who participated had detectable glyphosate levels and that these levels correlated significantly with shortened pregnancy lengths.
The EPA states that they found no indication that children are more sensitive to glyphosate from in utero or post-natal exposure, exposure through eating food with glyphosate, or exposure through entering or playing on residential areas treated with glyphosate after reviewing relevant studies. However, a few studies have shown that exposure to GBH may pose developmental risks to an unborn child.
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What Mixtures Of Glyphosate And Other Pesticides Are In Our Food
USDA data from 2016 shows detectable pesticide levels in 85% of more than 10,000 foods sampled, everything from mushrooms to grapes to green beans. The government says there are little to no health risks, but some scientists say there is little to no data to back up that claim. See Chemicals on our food: When safe may not really be safe: Scientific scrutiny of pesticide residue in food grows regulatory protections questioned.
Monsanto owner Bayer AG maintains that residues of glyphosate in food are not harmful at levels approved by the Environmental Protection Agency. A 2021 paper written by longtime Bayer scientist John Vicini and published in Comprehensive Reviews in Food Science and Food Safety states that dietary exposures to glyphosate are within established safe limits.
For a complete history of the use of glyphosate, including regulatory action and inaction, scientific controversies, human and environmental impact data, read Whitewash The Story of a Weed Killer, Cancer and the Corruption of Science, winner of the 2018 Rachel Carson Book Award from the Society of Environmental Journalists.
This fact sheet was updated July 13, 2022 by USRTK staff
Which Manufacturers Are Being Sued
The original producer of Roundup is Monsanto, which was acquired by Bayer in 2018. Since the company has bought the original Roundup manufacturer, it has already paid billions to settle tens of thousands of cases that claim the herbicide is carcinogenic and harmful to human health.
Plaintiffs also claim that Monsanto has long been aware that independent scientific studies had found that their blockbuster weed killer was probably carcinogenic, but it did nothing to warn the public about its risks. In fact, the company even tried to bury these findings.
In 2020, Bayer has already set aside more than $10 billion to resolve the majority of current and future Roundup cancer lawsuits. But even then, the chemical maker still faces over 30,000 lawsuits over the product as of writing.
In fact, the Supreme Court has very recently rejected Bayers appeal to dismiss thousands of lawsuits against its popular Roundup weedkiller products. Despite all these, however, the company maintains its stance that the product is safe, but said that it would replace glyphosate in Roundup for residential use starting 2023. Products with glyphosate will still be available for farm and professional use.
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Roundup Lawsuits And Settlements
Monsanto and Bayer are facing approximately 11,000 lawsuits related to glyphosate. Several cases in the past year have ended with Bayer being ordered to pay large financial awards to plaintiffs.
However, Bayer hasnt taken these verdictswithout protest and has appealed several jury awards. In August, Bayer petitionedthe U.S. Supreme Court to reverse a California appeal decision by the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals.
If youve developed any of the serious health conditions listed above after exposure to Roundup, you may be able to hire an attorney and file a class action lawsuit against Bayer and Monsanto. Affected consumers may be able to pursue compensation for injuries, pain and suffering, medical expenses, and loss of income or earning capacity.
If you or a loved one developed cancer after using Roundup as a farm worker or home gardener, you may have a legal claim. Legal migrant farm workers may also seek help. Learn more by filling out the form on this page for a FREE case evaluation.
Do I Have A Viable Monsanto Roundup Lawsuit
Yes, in theory, anyone who has developed Hodgkins lymphoma after using Roundup might have a case against the manufacturer. In addition, in a situation where a family member has died from an associated Roundup cancer, the deceaseds family may pursue a wrongful death lawsuit against the corporation.
The number of pending cases against Bayer is alarming. Some studies have shown an increase in the chance of developing lymphoma with even limited exposure to Roundup.
If you have non-Hodgkins lymphoma and have used Roundup in the past, we can evaluate your case at no charge. Contact us now. We will confidentially discuss your Roundup cancer case with you and help you decide what your next steps should be, such as joining the pending multi-district litigation.
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Who Is Most At Risk
As more research pours in, it would appear that the popular herbicide Roundup increases the risk of some cancers by more than 40%. The widespread use of glyphosate in many agricultural and residential herbicides means that glyphosate is in food, water, and dust. Practically anyone could be exposed.
But who is most likely to develop cancer as a result of exposure to Roundup? People with the most exposure to glyphosate have the highest risk of developing cancer. This includes farmers, landscapers, or anyone who uses Roundup for residential use.