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A patient presents to you with generalized weakness and easy fatigability. He gives you a history of working in a factory with an exposure to Benzene. Which of the following cases would you suspect in this patient?
A patient presents to you with generalized weakness and easy fatigability. He gives you a history of working in a factory with an exposure to Benzene. Which of the following cases would you suspect in this patient?
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Benzene has a specific and well-known target organ -- recall its hematological toxicity and carcinogenic potential.
Updated On: Jun 23, 2026
- Blood Cancer
- Urinary Bladder Cancer
- Carcinoma Gall Bladder
- Hepatocellular Carcinoma
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The Correct Option is A
Solution and Explanation
Benzene is a chemical carcinogen with primary toxicity to the bone marrow.
Mechanism: Benzene is metabolized in the liver to reactive intermediates (benzene oxide, catechol, hydroquinone) that accumulate in bone marrow, causing DNA damage and inhibiting topoisomerase II, leading to chromosomal breaks.
Consequences of chronic benzene exposure:
1. Aplastic anemia (early/chronic low-level exposure)
2. Myelodysplastic syndrome
3. Acute Myeloid Leukemia (AML) -- most important cancer association
Symptoms explained: Generalized weakness + easy fatigability = anemia due to bone marrow suppression.
Important carcinogen-cancer associations:
- Benzene $\rightarrow$ Blood cancer (AML, Leukemia)
- Beta-naphthylamine / Aniline dyes $\rightarrow$ Urinary bladder cancer
- Aflatoxin B1 / Vinyl chloride $\rightarrow$ Hepatocellular carcinoma
- Asbestos $\rightarrow$ Mesothelioma
- Chromium / Nickel $\rightarrow$ Lung cancer
\[\boxed{\text{Blood Cancer (Leukemia/AML)}}\]
Mechanism: Benzene is metabolized in the liver to reactive intermediates (benzene oxide, catechol, hydroquinone) that accumulate in bone marrow, causing DNA damage and inhibiting topoisomerase II, leading to chromosomal breaks.
Consequences of chronic benzene exposure:
1. Aplastic anemia (early/chronic low-level exposure)
2. Myelodysplastic syndrome
3. Acute Myeloid Leukemia (AML) -- most important cancer association
Symptoms explained: Generalized weakness + easy fatigability = anemia due to bone marrow suppression.
Important carcinogen-cancer associations:
- Benzene $\rightarrow$ Blood cancer (AML, Leukemia)
- Beta-naphthylamine / Aniline dyes $\rightarrow$ Urinary bladder cancer
- Aflatoxin B1 / Vinyl chloride $\rightarrow$ Hepatocellular carcinoma
- Asbestos $\rightarrow$ Mesothelioma
- Chromium / Nickel $\rightarrow$ Lung cancer
\[\boxed{\text{Blood Cancer (Leukemia/AML)}}\]
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