Since the 1970s, farmers, nursery workers, professional landscapers, and home gardeners have been using Roundup® to kill weeds. The main ingredient in Roundup is glyphosate—a herbicide that kills weeds while allowing lawns and plants to grow. However, the glyphosate found in Roundup may also cause a form of cancer known as non-Hodgkin lymphoma (NHL).
What Is Non-Hodgkin’s Lymphoma?
NHL is a type of cancer that begins in the body’s white blood cells. The cancer can develop anywhere there is lymph tissue such as in the spleen, bone marrow, thymus, adenoids, tonsils, or digestive tract. Symptoms of NHL may include swollen lymph nodes, abdominal pain, abdominal swelling, chest pain, respiratory problems, unexplained fatigue, unexplained weight loss, and unexplained fever.
Most people see their doctor because they’ve found a lump, experience some of these symptoms, or just don’t feel well in general. To diagnose NHL, the doctor may run a variety of tests, including:
- A biopsy of the lump
- Imaging tests such as a chest X-ray, CT scan, MRI, ultrasound, bone scan, or a PET scan
- Tests for heart and lung function, including a MUGA scan or an echocardiogram
Although blood tests aren’t used to diagnose NHL, they are used to determine how advanced the lymphoma is. Additionally, these blood tests may be used to look for signs of infection or other problems.
After you’ve been diagnosed with NHL, your doctor will determine if the lymphoma has spread and how far. This is known as “staging.” Staging helps a doctor establish how much cancer is in your body and the proper ways to treat it. While the doctor will use all of the medical tests to help make this determination, typically, he or she will use the results of the imaging tests—the PET and CT scans—as the most important indicators for the diagnosis.
Depending on the type of NHL you have, the stage of your cancer, and your overall health, your doctor may recommend chemotherapy, radiation, bone marrow transplants, or other treatments. These treatments may have significant side effects that greatly impact your ability to work and to enjoy your life.
Overall, the American Cancer Society reports a 71% five-year survival rate for people with NHL. However, this survival rate varies significantly depending on the type of NHL the patient has and the stage of the cancer.
How Roundup Causes Non-Hodgkin’s Lymphoma
If you routinely use Roundup at work or home, you are regularly exposed to its main ingredient—glyphosate. You may breathe it in, get it in your eyes, or get on your skin. Various studies have looked at how glyphosate affects human health and reported reasons to warn the public. According to the World Health Organization’s International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC):
- Glyphosate exposure is probably carcinogenic to humans.
- There is a positive association between glyphosate exposure and NHL.
Studies have found that glyphosate “damages DNA in both human and animal cells”; however, it’s important to remember that people and animals don’t come in contact with glyphosate alone. Rather they are exposed to it in “formulations” with other chemicals. Thus, Roundup, which is a formulation containing glyphosate, has never been tested to determine its long-term safety. However, in an in vitro study, it was reported that “eight out of nine major pesticides tested in their complete formulations were up to 1000 more toxic to human cells than the isolated active ingredients.”
Lawsuits Against the Makers of Roundup
Thousands of people have filed lawsuits against Monsanto, the maker of Roundup. Many of the lawsuits allege that:
- Roundup causes NHL
- Monsanto knew about the risk for years and failed to warn the public about it
If you have been diagnosed with NHL after using Roundup and are seeking damages, you may be able to join them in a mass tort action.
Contact Chris Hudson Law Group
Now is the time to talk to an experienced mass tort lawyer about your potential claim. If you decide to pursue a mass tort case, you will remain in control of your own potential settlement, and any damage award will be based on your own unique situation. While your damage award will be based on your unique injuries, a mass tort case will allow you to work collaboratively with others who have suffered from exposure to Roundup.
To learn more about protecting your rights, you need to speak with an experienced mass tort lawyer as soon as possible. Please contact us online or call our office directly at (706) 863-6600 to schedule your free confidential consultation.