LAUSR

Abstract This study focused on the evaluation of any possible relationship of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons and their hydroxylated derivatives, originated from different anthropogenic activities, with leukemia via determination of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons levels in human blood serum. It attempts to provide a sufficient profile of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons and their derivatives in leukemia patients (cases) and healthy donors (controls) in Greece, for which pertinent data is lacking. The determination was applied to 198 serum samples, including cases and controls. Demographic and environmental data, such as age, gender, smoking habits and area of residence were subjected to clustered analysis during the statistical treatment of the results. The results demonstrated a statistically significant difference between cases and controls regarding polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons concentrations, with phenanthrene, fluorene and acenaphthene being the most abundant compounds (