Scientists and medical researchers around the world disagree on whether the active ingredient in Roundup, the most commonly used weed killer on the market, poses a risk of causing cancer —including B-cell lymphoma – in its users.

Consumers who use Roundup for home landscaping or agricultural operations might benefit from familiarizing themselves with the latest information about the herbicide, B-cell lymphoma, and links that have been suggested between the two.

What is B-Cell Lymphoma?

B-cell lymphoma is a type of cancer that forms in the “B” cells that are part of the body’s immune system. Most B-cell lymphomas are non-Hodgkin lymphomas, the most common of which is called diffuse large B-cell lymphoma. It accounts for nearly 30 percent of all cases of non-Hodgkin lymphoma in the U.S., according to Cancer.net, the patient information site operated by the American Society of Clinical Oncology. 

Other types of B-cell lymphoma are follicular lymphoma, Burkitt lymphoma, chronic lymphocytic leukemia/small lymphocytic lymphoma and mantle cell lymphoma.

Diffuse large B-cell lymphoma is an aggressive, fast-growing cancer that affects the white blood cells that make antibodies to fight infections. But it is also among the most curable. Two of every three patients treated with a combination of chemotherapy and prescription medication are cured, Cancer.net reports.

What Are the Symptoms of B-Cell Lymphoma?

Patients with B-cell lymphoma most often report swelling in the neck, armpits, groin, or abdomen as one of the first noticeable symptoms. Other common symptoms include loss of appetite, unusual weight loss, feeling bloated, fatigue, night sweats and fever, frequent infections and unexplained abdominal pain on the left side.

What Causes B-Cell Lymphoma?

The exact cause of B-cell lymphoma, and lymphoma in general, is not known. It is not considered to be hereditary, but genetic factors can predispose some people. Cedars-Sinai Medical Centernotes that certain infections, environmental factors, exposure to some herbicides and high doses of radiation might be contributing factors.

Is B-Cell Lymphoma Linked to Roundup Herbicide?

Consumers and scientists have speculated for many years about possible links between non-Hodgkin lymphoma and the use of herbicides that contain glyphosate, the main active ingredient in the best-selling weed killer Roundup.

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) in April 2019 reaffirmed its stance that glyphosate is safe and issued a statement saying that based on its research, the chemical poses no risk and “is not likely to be carcinogenic to humans.” In August, it went a step further and blocked efforts by California to require products containing glyphosate to be labeled with warnings that the chemical is known to cause cancer.

A 2015 report from The International Agency for Research on Cancer, the cancer research division of the World Health Organization, classified glyphosate as ” probably carcinogenic to humans” based on what it called “limited evidence” of cancer in people and “sufficient evidence” of cancer in study animals, a report by Scientific American magazine said.

What is the B-Cell Lymphoma Survival Rate?

Non-Hodgkin lymphomas have responded better to treatment over the last 10 years than ever before. In most cases, the first line of defense is chemotherapy paired with oral medications and, in some cases, when the lymphoma is isolated to just one part of the body, radiation.

Patients with diffuse large B-cell lymphoma are typically treated with a course of chemotherapy called CHOP (for the combination of cyclophosphamide, doxorubicin, vincristine, and prednisone) administered three weeks apart.

According to statistics published by Cedars-Sinai, between 50 percent and 60 percent of patients with non-Hodgkin lymphoma live for at least five years after diagnosis, or longer, without a recurrence of cancer.

The American Cancer Society (ACS) reports the average five-year survival rate of patients with diffuse large B-cell lymphoma is 63 percent. If the disease is caught early and contained in one lymph node or organ, that rate goes up to 73 percent. If the cancer has spread to distant parts of the body or the bone marrow, the five-year survival rate is 55 percent. ml

Survival rates for the next most common B-cell lymphoma, the follicular kind, are much higher – 88 percent on average, 96 percent if contained and 85 percent if spread, the ACS reports.

What Roundup B-Cell Lymphoma Lawsuits Have Been Filed?

Tens of thousands of lawsuits have been filed against the maker of Roundup over claims it gave its users cancer. In fact, Bayer – the pharmaceutical and chemical giant that purchased Monsanto, Roundup’s manufacturer, two years ago – agreed in June to settle nearly 95,000 of those cases for $10 billion.

The settlement includes $1.25 billion to be set aside for future claims from Roundup consumers who develop non-Hodgkin lymphoma, including B-cell lymphoma, and to fund an investigation of glyphosate.

According to The New York Times, the settlement is one of the largest in U.S. civil litigation history.

Negotiations began in 2019 at the urging of U.S. District Court Judge Vince Chhabria in San Francisco, who was overseeing hundreds of the Roundup lawsuits, the Times reported. The money set aside for future claims will be used to settle a class-action lawsuit that will be filed “on behalf of those who have used Roundup and may later have health concerns,” the Times story said.

The settlement doesn’t cover every pending Roundup lawsuit. Plaintiffs in another 30,000 cases have chosen to continue their fights in court.

Three lawsuits against Bayer/Monsanto have gone to trial in the last two years and resulted in significant jury awards, all of which are under appeal. In a 2018 California case, a jury agreed Roundup caused a school groundskeeper to get cancer and awarded him $289 million. In March 2019, a San Francisco homeowner who used Roundup on his property was awarded $80 million in damages. Two months later, a jury awarded a California couple $2 billion for claims that decades of using Roundup caused both of them to develop non-Hodgkin lymphoma. The judge in that case later reduced the award to $86 million.

Should You File a B-Cell Lymphoma Roundup Lawsuit?

Consumers who have used Roundup weed killer and developed B-Cell lymphoma may have grounds for a civil lawsuit against the manufacturer. A qualified, experienced attorney can help make that determination.

Join a Roundup Weed Killer Cancer Class Action Lawsuit Investigation

You may qualify for this Roundup cancer lawsuit investigation if you were diagnosed with one of these conditions after using Roundup:

• Non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma
• B-cell lymphoma
• T-cell lymphoma
• Chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL)
• Hairy cell lymphoma

See if you qualify by filling out the form on this page for a case evaluation with an experienced Roundup lawsuit attorney. 

Get a Case Evaluation

This article is not legal advice. It is presented
for informational purposes only.