[Histonet] Does xylene cause skin cancer?

[Jackie O'Connor]

-----Original Message-----
From: Jackie O'Connor <b427297 <@t> aol.com>
To: Jonathan.Cremer <Jonathan.Cremer <@t> med.kuleuven.be>
Sent: Thu, Feb 23, 2012 8:39 am
Subject: Re: [Histonet] Does xylene cause skin cancer?


I grew up in histology before MSDS's and OSHA.  We practically bathed in xylene, which is no excuse for ignoring safety precautions now.  In all my years and places I've worked, I don't know anyone who has developed cancer because of xylene exposure per se - you can all say "that they know of".   I can honestly say, out of the hundreds of people I met and worked with, personally I only know of a few histotechs and pathologists who actually died from cancer over the last 40 years.  I do, however, know a larger number of histotechs who have suffered unusual miscarriages, still births, and had children with unusual birth defects.  That is something that no one (like the NSH or histology chemical providers) has really ever looked into.   Common sense should always be your first line of defense, people.    Don't get it on your skin if you can avoid contact, but if you're that paranoid about the chemicals you work with, you are probably in the wrong line of work.   If you look at some of the special stains we work with, they are scarier than xylene.
I'm jus' sayin . . .
 
Jackie O' 



-----Original Message-----
From: Jonathan Cremer <Jonathan.Cremer <@t> med.kuleuven.be>
To: Tony Henwood (SCHN) <tony.henwood <@t> health.nsw.gov.au>; 'Hilary Smith' <hsmith <@t> wakehealth.edu>; Debbie Faichney <d.a.faichney <@t> stir.ac.uk>; Rene J Buesa <rjbuesa <@t> yahoo.com>; histonet <histonet <@t> lists.utsouthwestern.edu>; Jenny Vega <histotech411 <@t> gmail.com>
Sent: Thu, Feb 23, 2012 2:59 am
Subject: RE: [Histonet] Does xylene cause skin cancer?


But the gloves in that Ansell list are reusable, whereas I suppose that you mean 
he disposable Kimberley-Clark gloves? The thickness would be very different in 
hat case. And I wouldn't be able to mount a slide with thick, re-use gloves. :)
In any case, the doctor for my professional yearly medical exam always tells me 
o only use nitrile gloves in combination with xylene, and that xylene will get 
hrough after a few minutes. So I just avoid getting xylene on my hands 
ltogether by using forceps to handle wet slides while coverslipping.
--
onathan Cremer
aboratory Technician
astro-enterologie
KUL CDG Bus 811; Labo Experimentele Immunologie; Herestraat 49; 3000 Leuven; 
elgium
_______________________________________
an: histonet-bounces <@t> lists.utsouthwestern.edu [histonet-bounces <@t> lists.utsouthwestern.edu] 
amens Tony Henwood (SCHN) [tony.henwood <@t> health.nsw.gov.au]
erzonden: donderdag 23 februari 2012 1:56
an: 'Hilary Smith'; Debbie Faichney; Rene J Buesa; histonet <@t> lists.utsouthwestern.edu; 
enny Vega
nderwerp: RE: [Histonet] Does xylene cause skin cancer?
Wow,
That's interesting; KIMBERLY-CLARK Nitrile Gloves are not resistant to xylene, 
hereas Ansell's Nitrile gloves are (see http://www.ansellpro.com/download/Ansell_7thEditionChemicalResistanceGuide.pdf)
Regards
ony Henwood JP, MSc, BAppSc, GradDipSysAnalys, CT(ASC), FFSc(RCPA)
aboratory Manager & Senior Scientist
el: 612 9845 3306
ax: 612 9845 3318
he children's hospital at westmead
nr Hawkesbury Road and Hainsworth Street, Westmead
ocked Bag 4001, Westmead NSW 2145, AUSTRALIA

----Original Message-----
rom: histonet-bounces <@t> lists.utsouthwestern.edu [mailto:histonet-bounces <@t> lists.utsouthwestern.edu] 
n Behalf Of Hilary Smith
ent: Thursday, 23 February 2012 1:52 AM
o: Debbie Faichney; Rene J Buesa; histonet <@t> lists.utsouthwestern.edu; Jenny Vega
ubject: RE: [Histonet] Does xylene cause skin cancer?
You might want to go to something with even greater chemical resistance - thin 
itrile is not recommended for use with xylene:
http://www.kcproductselector.com/~/media/RelatedMedia/PDFs/Gloves/K2365_09_01_SN%20Chem%20Guide_v10.ashx
According to our xylene MSDS: "The substance may be toxic to blood, kidneys, 
iver, mucous membranes, bone marrow, central nervous system (CNS). Repeated or 
rolonged exposure to the substance can produce target organs damage."
I would definitely use gloves if I were you.
Hilary

----Original Message-----
rom: histonet-bounces <@t> lists.utsouthwestern.edu [mailto:histonet-bounces <@t> lists.utsouthwestern.edu] 
n Behalf Of Debbie Faichney
ent: Wednesday, February 22, 2012 8:15 AM
o: Rene J Buesa; histonet <@t> lists.utsouthwestern.edu; Jenny Vega
ubject: RE: [Histonet] Does xylene cause skin cancer?
If you can get a hold of them, try using Nitrile gloves as these have a higher 
hemical resistance than latex.  I use them and change every 30 minutes to avoid 
reakthrough.
Debbie Faichney
nstitute of Aquaculture
niversity of Stirling
K
-----Original Message-----
rom: histonet-bounces <@t> lists.utsouthwestern.edu [mailto:histonet-bounces <@t> lists.utsouthwestern.edu] 
n Behalf Of Rene J Buesa
ent: 22 February 2012 13:09
o: histonet <@t> lists.utsouthwestern.edu; Jenny Vega
ubject: Re: [Histonet] Does xylene cause skin cancer?
There is no evidence in the literature about skin cancer produced by xylene, 
lthough dermatitis are well documented.
egardless you should use gloves whenever your hands can get in contact with any 
hemical as a good safety practice. If your colleagues do not want to use 
loves, that is their prerogative, as is yours to wear them.
ené J.
--- On Tue, 2/21/12, Jenny Vega <histotech411 <@t> gmail.com> wrote:

rom: Jenny Vega <histotech411 <@t> gmail.com>
ubject: [Histonet] Does xylene cause skin cancer?
o: histonet <@t> lists.utsouthwestern.edu
ate: Tuesday, February 21, 2012, 10:17 PM

 am asking this because in my job we mount slides by hand, and my coworkers 
on't like to use gloves because it leaves a residue of latex in the back of the 
lides. I really don't feel comfortable mounting without gloves because I heard 
hat xyelene can cause cancer. Some people I know personally has told me that 
his is not possible, but I read in some places that xylene could a possible 
arcinogen.
I have already gotten contact with xylene in my hands a couple of times and I am 
orried.

Thanks.
______________________________________________
istonet mailing list
istonet <@t> lists.utsouthwestern.edu
ttp://lists.utsouthwestern.edu/mailman/listinfo/histonet
______________________________________________
istonet mailing list
istonet <@t> lists.utsouthwestern.edu
ttp://lists.utsouthwestern.edu/mailman/listinfo/histonet

--
he Sunday Times Scottish University of the Year 2009/2010 The University of 
tirling is a charity registered in Scotland,  number SC 011159.

______________________________________________
istonet mailing list
istonet <@t> lists.utsouthwestern.edu
ttp://lists.utsouthwestern.edu/mailman/listinfo/histonet
_______________________________________________
istonet mailing list
istonet <@t> lists.utsouthwestern.edu
ttp://lists.utsouthwestern.edu/mailman/listinfo/histonet
*********************************************************************************
his email and any files transmitted with it are confidential and intended 
olely for the use of the individual or entity to whom they are addressed. If 
ou are not the intended recipient, please delete it and notify the sender.
Views expressed in this message and any attachments are those of the individual 
ender, and are not necessarily the views of The Children's Hospital at Westmead
This note also confirms that this email message has been virus scanned and 
lthough no computer viruses were detected, The Childrens Hospital at Westmead 
ccepts no liability for any consequential damage resulting from email 
ontaining computer viruses.
********************************************************************************
_______________________________________________
istonet mailing list
istonet <@t> lists.utsouthwestern.edu
ttp://lists.utsouthwestern.edu/mailman/listinfo/histonet
_______________________________________________
istonet mailing list
istonet <@t> lists.utsouthwestern.edu
ttp://lists.utsouthwestern.edu/mailman/listinfo/histonet