Development of Hematologic Malignancies and Aplastic Anemia Following Exposure to Mustard Gas

In an examination of 3000 victims of chemical war injury exposed to sulfur mustard gas during the years 1983-1988, the following hematologic dyscrasias were observed during 1983 to 1996. Acute nonlymphocytic leukemia (ANLL) in seven, acute lymphpblastic leukemia (ALL) in six, chronic myelogenous leukemia (CMl) in two, hairy cell leukemia in one, Hofgkins disease in three, non-Hodgkins lymphoma (NHL) in four, immunoproliferative small intestinal disease, 41 NHL, 5 IPSID and 9 aplastic anemia per 100.000 adult general population. The calculated relative risks for developing the aforementioned dioseases in the victime exposed to mustard gas are8 for ANLL, 11 for ALL, 8 for CML, 11 for hairy cell leukemia, 5 for Hodgkins disease. Therefore, 3 for NHL, 13 for IPSId and 19 for aplastic anemia. Although there is no documented report of ALL associated with mustard gas exposure, we obtained a risk factor of 11 with a very short latency period after exposure (mean of 5 months).