Railroad workers in various jobs are exposed to diesel exhaust fumes as they are maintaining and using railcars, locomotives and track equipment. The exposure could cause a number of occupational cancers and pulmonary problems such as various forms of leukemia.
These cancers are often caused by chemical substances like benzene. Hartley Law Group, PLLC has handled workers' compensation claims for individuals who suffer from chemical exposure.
What is Acute Lymphocytic Leukemia (ALL)?
Acute lymphocytic lukemia (ALL) is a kind of cancer, affects blood as well as the bone marrow. This is the spongy tissue that lies inside the bones and the place where blood cells are created. It happens when healthy white blood cells turn cancerous and grow beyond control.
These abnormal white blood cells known as leukemias cells accumulate and engorge healthy ones that are unable fight off infections in a proper manner. The term "lymphocytic" refers to the type of white blood cells that are involved in this cancer and gives it its name, is used to describe this kind of cancer.
In the body, lymphocytes develop from stem cells that are immature in the bone marrow. Stem cells usually develop and mature into various kinds of white blood cells, including B cells and T cells. These cells help the body fight infections by attacking bacteria and viruses and alerting other immune cells to invaders, or fighting infection directly.
If someone is diagnosed with acute lymphocytic cancer, the bone marrow produces an excessive amount of lymphocytes. The lymphocytes can transform into cancerous lymphoblasts. However, they cannot become healthy cells to fight infections. This means that the body won't be able to fight infections also, and this can cause severe issues. The disease is more prevalent among children and young adults. It's not known what triggers the mutations in DNA that cause acute lymphocytic leukemia. However, people who received specific treatment such as radiation therapy or chemotherapy for other cancers have a higher chance of developing it.
Symptoms
The Norfolk Southern Corporation (NS) is one of North America's biggest Class I railroads. It runs 19,420 route miles in 22 states and the District of Columbia, as it connects to Canada via the Albany to Montreal route of the Canadian Pacific Railway. The NS rail network is split into two major routes: a northern-south route connecting Atlanta to Danville, Virginia and Greensboro and Charlotte and an east-west route between Salisbury, North Carolina and Asheville.
The body produces millions of blood cells daily Most of them originate in bone marrow. The stem cells that are immature and reside in the bone marrow grow into red blood cells, Norfolk Southern Railway Acute Lymphocytic Leukemia which carry oxygen and other elements to every part of the body, as well as platelets that form blood clots to stop bleeding and lymphocytes to fight infection. When leukemia is discovered in the blood and bone marrow, these blood cells no anymore function as they should. It can cause nausea, fatigue, swelling of lymphnodes, bruising and infections.
Acute lymphocytic leukemia is often caused by DNA faults within a bone marrow cell. This can occur when the cell is exposed to certain chemicals, such as benzene. Exposure to benzene might cause other health issues such as cancers and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD).
Diagnosis
The first step is to conduct blood tests. They check the levels of immature white blood cells in your blood. They also evaluate the shape, size, and maturity of your blood cells. In most cases, a sample bone marrow is required to confirm the diagnosis. The doctor can collect bone marrow samples from your hipbone or the back of your femur. They may also examine your lymph nodes. Blood and bone marrow samples are then sent to a lab where they are examined under microscope. This is known as flow-cytometry and it helps doctors determine what kind of leukemia you have.
A puncture in the lumbar spine is recommended when you have symptoms associated with the central nervous systems, Norfolk Southern Railway Acute Lymphocytic Leukemia including cranial neuritis. During this procedure, an needle is inserted in your lower spine to drain fluid from the spinal canal. A pathologist then checks this fluid to see whether it is contaminated by lymphoblasts.
Acute Lymphocytic Leukemia is uncommon among adults. The most likely risk factors for this disease include genetic changes or exposure to benzene chemotherapy or radiation therapy. People with Down syndrome are also at a greater risk of developing the cancer. Hartley Law Group PLLC and Motley Rice LLC investigate claims on behalf railroad employees who contracted acute leukemia following exposure to diesel exhaust fumes, creosote smoke, solvents and welding fumes.
Treatment
Acute Lymphocytic Leukemia is a cancer that affects the immature blood cells. The cancer rapidly replaces healthy bone marrow cells, which can cause problems like quick or spontaneous bruising, bleeding in the form of fatigue, fatigue, and infections. The condition can be treated with chemotherapy.
The majority of the time, a combination of drugs is utilized for induction therapy (also known as induction therapy) and consolidation therapy (also known as consolidation therapy) and maintenance therapy. The treatment could last between two and three years. In the United States, children with acute lymphocytic leukemia have a five-year overall survival rate of 85 percent.
Treatments for non-Hodgkin follicular lymphoma may differ based on the stage and severity of the disease. Patients whose disease is low-risk according to the Follicular Lymphoma International Prognostic Index have the best outlook. This disease has a high chance of relapse, so patients should be monitored closely.
Diesel exhaust can trigger a variety of conditions and illnesses such as heart diseases, strokes throat, stomach and pancreatic cancers, kidney, bone marrow and kidney cancers, and lung diseases such as emphysema, or chronic obstructive respiratory disorder (COPD). Railroad companies may not have taken the time to inform or train employees on the dangers of exposure to diesel exhaust. These railroad workers could be entitled to compensation for their injuries under the Federal Employers Liability Act. To discuss your rights and options, speak with an attorney for railroad workers.
