A man has filed a Roundup Monsanto lawsuit after he was diagnosed with a subtype of non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma in September 2016.

Plaintiff Gayle R. says he began using Roundup extensively in the 1980s while working as a farmer. He says he handled, mixed and sprayed Roundup in large volume as part of his maintenance of 1,035 acres of farm land in Indiana and Kentucky. He says he sprayed Roundup regularly for a minimum of 35 years.

Gayle claims he learned of his diagnosis of malignant B-cell type chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL)/small lymphocytic lymphoma (SLL), a subtype of non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma, in the fall of 2016. Ultimately, the diagnosis of cancer led to his Roundup Monsanto lawsuit. 

Allegations of Roundup Monsanto Lawsuit

Glyphosate is the active ingredient found in Roundup’s line of herbicides. The chemical is a non-selective herbicide, which means it kills any organism that has a specific enzyme called EPSP synthase.

When Roundup is sprayed as a liquid onto plants, the glyphosate is absorbed through the leaves, stems, and roots. A surfactant called POEA helps boost the absorbency of the glyphosate.

According to the Roundup Monsanto lawsuit, a 2009 study “concluded that supposed ‘inert’ ingredient, and possibly POEA, change human cell permeability and amplify toxicity of glyphosate alone.”

The study said the mixture of chemicals that are contained in Roundup make Roundup more toxic than the active ingredient glyphosate on its own.

Other studies allege that glyphosate and glyphosate-based products such as Roundup can induce oxidative stress, which has been linked to chronic inflammation, a precursor to cancer.

Cesar Paz-y-Mino published a study in 2006 showing he studied DNA damage in humans exposed to glyphosate. According to the Roundup Monsanto lawsuit, the study showed evidence of chromosomal damage in blood cells after they were exposed to glyphosate, opening up the possibility that aerial spraying of Roundup can have genotoxic effects on exposed people.

Genotoxicity means chemical damages to the genetic material inside a cell resulting in cellular mutations that can lead to cancer.

According to the Roundup Monsanto lawsuit, Monsanto allegedly has been aware for years that Roundup is genotoxic, but has denied it.

“Glyphosate and Roundup, in particular, have long been associated with carcinogenicity and the development of numerous forms of cancer, including, but not limited to, non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma, Hodgkin’s lymphoma, multiple myeloma, and soft tissue sarcoma,” alleges the Roundup Monsanto lawsuit.

According to the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC), the specialized cancer agency of the World Health Organization (WHO) of the United Nations, glyphosate is a Class 2A “probable carcinogen.” In the IARC’s full paper on glyphosate published in July 2015, glyphosate showed sufficient evidence of causing genotoxicity and oxidative stress to receive the 2A classification “based on evidence of carcinogenicity in humans and animals.”

The IARC determined there is an increased risk of non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma and several subtypes of cancer after exposure to glyphosate. The IARC also found DNA and chromosomal damage in human cells as a result of glyphosate exposure.

The Roundup Monsanto Lawsuit is Case No. 4:18-cv-01473-SNLJ in the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Missouri.

If you or a loved one developed cancer after using Roundup as a farm worker or home gardener, you may have a legal claim. Legal migrant farm workers may also seek help. Learn more by filling out the form on this page for a FREE case evaluation.

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