Sign-in to Ask A Doctor - 24x7
OR
Sign in with Google
Is It Possible For A Benign Tumor To Become Cancerous Post Exposure To Ammonia?
Question: I was diagnosed with a right temporal oligodendroglioma stage 3 & was exposed to high volumes of ammonia in my early military career. I'm trying to get it service connected for disability from VA and wanted to know if this could have triggered a benign tumor to become cancerous after exposure.
Is it possible to for a benign tumor to become cancer from exposure to ammonia is the main question, if I can give evidence to VA this would help my case?
Is it possible to for a benign tumor to become cancer from exposure to ammonia is the main question, if I can give evidence to VA this would help my case?
Brief Answer:
No evidence that exposure to ammonia causes cancer
Detailed Answer:
Hi,
There is no evidence that exposure to ammonia causes benign tumour to be come cancerous.
However there is a small evidence of risk of dying from salivary gland cancer was greatest in counties with the highest levels of ammonia in the air.
But the increased risk was seen only in white men not white women or XXXXXXX Americans.
I do not think your right temporal oligodendroglioma stage 3 could have turned cancerous due to your high volumes of ammonia exposure in early military career.
Regards
Dr Monish De
Oncologist
No evidence that exposure to ammonia causes cancer
Detailed Answer:
Hi,
There is no evidence that exposure to ammonia causes benign tumour to be come cancerous.
However there is a small evidence of risk of dying from salivary gland cancer was greatest in counties with the highest levels of ammonia in the air.
But the increased risk was seen only in white men not white women or XXXXXXX Americans.
I do not think your right temporal oligodendroglioma stage 3 could have turned cancerous due to your high volumes of ammonia exposure in early military career.
Regards
Dr Monish De
Oncologist
Above answer was peer-reviewed by :
Dr. Remy Koshy
I know that my charts and notes do not discuss it but because I had to change out the ammonia tanks on the machine I did inhale a lot of ammonia during the process almost knocking me out. Dr. Pang’s note did indicate I had my tumor while in service and it could have been triggered by a chemical I had access to. Just need another Dr to verify it could have happened since the tumor was growing over my 20 yrs of service.
Brief Answer:
Small chance of 5% of benign tumours changing to cancerous
Detailed Answer:
Hi
There is a small chance of 5% of benign tumours changing to cancerous after exposure to ammonia
Ammonia accumulates around tumours and is used by their cells to synthesize amino acids.
Cancer cells can efficiently metabolize up to 57% of nearby ammonia into useful glutamate which is then used to build amino acids such as proline and aspartate
It means the cancer cells avoid the toxic effects of ammonia by converting the compound into usable nitrogen a necessary agent for rapid growth of cancer
Regards
Dr Monish De
Oncologist
Small chance of 5% of benign tumours changing to cancerous
Detailed Answer:
Hi
There is a small chance of 5% of benign tumours changing to cancerous after exposure to ammonia
Ammonia accumulates around tumours and is used by their cells to synthesize amino acids.
Cancer cells can efficiently metabolize up to 57% of nearby ammonia into useful glutamate which is then used to build amino acids such as proline and aspartate
It means the cancer cells avoid the toxic effects of ammonia by converting the compound into usable nitrogen a necessary agent for rapid growth of cancer
Regards
Dr Monish De
Oncologist
Above answer was peer-reviewed by :
Dr. Kampana
Answered by
Get personalised answers from verified doctor in minutes across 80+ specialties
