Most of us old-timers have stuck our fingers in formalin or spilled it on 
ourselves on many occasions.  I have never heard of anyone developing a 
tumour from it, though.  It certainly doesn't appear to be common if it does 
happen.  In Canada some years ago we had a government program assisting 
people to inject urea-formaldehyde resin into the walls of houses as a 
retrofit insulation system.  A few years later it was decided the formalin 
fumes given off were carcinogenic, so we had another program to remove it. 
That's about the only link to tumours I have heard of.

One of the pathologists I used to work with many years ago was fond of 
quoting a paper he had once read which compared naso-pharyngeal tumour rates 
among various groups.  Pathologists had a lower rate than other people.  He 
always put that down to the formalin fumes they breathed in all the time.

The real identified problem with formalin and skin contact is dermatitis. 
It isn't universal, but some people do get it with repeated contact, and 
once you develop the sensitivity to it, it doesn't go away.  So wear gloves.

Bryan Llewellyn



----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Charles.Embrey" 
To: ; "Histonetliste (Histonetliste)" 

Sent: Tuesday, May 23, 2006 10:56 AM
Subject: RE: [Histonet] Formalin on skin


You are 100% correct.  I have even reached a bare hand into formalin to
pull out something before but washed with soap and water minutes after.
I have not personally heard of formalin causing an increased risk of
skin cancer however I am sure that there is a study somewhere that has
probably associated some risk with L---O---N---G term exposure. Your
labassistant should be perfectly safe.  Just don't drink it and keep it
out of the eyes :)

Charles Embrey Jr. PA(ASCP)
www.greyrealm.com

-----Original Message-----
From: histonet-bounces@lists.utsouthwestern.edu
[mailto:histonet-bounces@lists.utsouthwestern.edu] On Behalf Of Gudrun
Lang
Sent: Tuesday, May 23, 2006 12:32 PM
To: Histonetliste (Histonetliste)
Subject: [Histonet] Formalin on skin

Hi,
Today a labassistent asked me, what would happen to her skin, if
formalin
swallowed over her arm.
I said, the formalin would harden the skin, but only on the surface. She
should wash the arm with plenty of water, and there will reamain no
negative
reaction. It would not be dangerous for her health.

Do you agree with me? Is there a cancer-risk after short contact with
formalin?

Greetings
Gudrun Lang

Histolab
Akh Linz
Austria


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