Genes
Certain inherited genetic conditions and immune disorders can put a person at a greater risk for developing leukemia. These may include:
Down Syndrome People with Down syndrome have an extra copy of chromosome 21. Kids with Down are as much as 30 times more likely to develop acute lymphocytic leukemia (ALL) than the general population. They have a particularly high risk — 150 times that of the general population — of getting acute myeloid leukemia (AML). (2)Fanconi Anemia This disease is passed down through families and causes a decreased production of blood cells. It can also raise a person’s risk of developing leukemia.Ataxia-Telangiectasia Ataxia-telangiectasia is an inherited condition that affects a person’s immune system. It increases your risk of infection and leukemia.Li-Fraumeni Syndrome This rare condition happens because of a change in the TP53 tumor suppressor gene. People with Li-Fraumeni syndrome are more likely to develop several types of cancer, including leukemia.
A few other rare genetic conditions may also up a person’s risk of leukemia, including Bloom syndrome, Diamond–Blackfan anemia, Schwachman–Diamond syndrome, neurofibromatosis type 1, trisomy 8, and severe congenital neutropenia. (3,4,5)
Viruses
Certain viruses, such as human T-lymphotropic virus (HTLV), human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), and Epstein–Barr virus (EBV), may increase a person’s risk of getting certain types of leukemia. Scientists are working to figure out why these links exist. (4) A recent study also found that babies who were born with congenital cytomegalovirus (CMV), which is a virus in the herpes family, may be more likely to develop ALL. Up to 80 percent of people in the United States have CMV, but the virus is typically dormant and causes few symptoms. (6)
Family History
Your risk of leukemia may be greater if one of your family members has also been diagnosed with it. (1) Having a parent with leukemia doesn’t seem to raise a child’s risk for leukemia. But, siblings of kids with leukemia are more likely to develop the cancer. This risk is also increased for identical twins. If a twin develops childhood leukemia, the other twin has about a 1 in 5 chance of having it as well. (7)
Environmental Causes
Many environmental factors have been linked to leukemia, including:
Radiation Being around high levels of radiation may increase the risk of leukemia. For instance, people who were exposed to atomic bomb explosions during World War II had higher rates of leukemia than those who weren’t. A 20-year study that followed workers who cleaned up after the Chernobyl nuclear power plant accident found that even low doses of radiation increased the risk of all types of leukemia. Some studies have also shown a link between having X-rays during pregnancy and the baby’s risk of childhood leukemia later on. Pregnant women are usually advised to avoid X-rays when possible. It’s unclear whether X-rays during childhood can affect the risk of leukemia in kids. (1,4)Chemicals Exposure to benzene, a chemical that’s used to make plastics, rubbers, dyes, detergents, drugs, and pesticides, may increase the risk of some types of leukemia.Smoking Smoking can up your chances of getting AML. (1) Cigarette smoke contains more than 7,000 chemicals. At least 69 of them are known to be cancer-causing. (8)Chemotherapy Drugs Adults and children who were treated with chemotherapy medicines, such as cyclophosphamide (Cytoxan), chlorambucil (Leukeran), etoposide (Vepesid), and teniposide, have a higher risk of developing some kinds of leukemia. The secondary cancer usually crops up within 2 to 10 years of treatment. (7)
You may have heard that living near power lines or a nuclear power plant can raise the risk of leukemia. There’s not enough hard evidence to show these exposures are strong risk factors. Researchers continue to study this possible link. (7)
Blood Disorders
Having certain blood disorders, such as myelodysplastic syndrome (MDS), polycythemia vera, essential thrombocythemia, and idiopathic myelofibrosis, can increase your risk of developing AML.
Is Leukemia Preventable?
Since scientists don’t know exactly what causes it, there’s no surefire way to prevent leukemia. But, avoiding certain triggers, such as exposure to cigarette smoke, chemicals, pesticides, and radiation, may lower your chances of getting leukemia. Maintaining a healthy diet along with regular exercise may also help you avoid many types of cancer, including leukemia. (9)
