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Howes x's List: Causes and Risk Factors

  • Feb 01, 11

    www.mayoclinic.com/...DSECTION=risk-factors

      • Factors that may increase your risk of developing some types of leukemia  include:

         
           
        • Previous cancer treatment. People who've had certain types  of chemotherapy and radiation therapy for other cancers have an increased risk  of developing certain types of leukemia.  
        • Genetic diseases. Genetic abnormalities seem to play a role  in the development of leukemia. Certain genetic diseases, such as Down syndrome,  are associated with increased risk of leukemia.  
        • Certain blood disorders. People who have been diagnosed  with certain blood disorders, such as myelodysplastic syndromes, may have an  increased risk of leukemia.  
        • Exposure to high levels of radiation. People exposed to  very high levels of radiation, such as survivors of a nuclear reactor accident,  have an increased risk of developing leukemia.  
        • Exposure to certain chemicals. Exposure to certain  chemicals, such as benzene — which is found in gasoline and is used by the  chemical industry — also is linked to increased risk of some kinds of leukemia.  
        • Smoking. Smoking cigarettes increases the risk of acute  myelogenous leukemia.  
        • Family history of leukemia. If members of your family have  been diagnosed with leukemia, your risk of the disease may be increased.  

  • Feb 01, 11

    www.mayoclinic.com/...DSECTION=causes

    • Scientists don't understand the exact causes of leukemia. It seems to develop  from a combination of genetic and environmental factors
    • How leukemia forms
      In general, leukemia occurs when some  blood cells acquire mutations in their DNA — the instructions inside each cell  that guide its action. The mutations cause the cell to grow and divide more  rapidly and to continue living when normal cells would die. Over time, these  abnormal cells can crowd out healthy blood cells, causing the signs and symptoms  of leukemia.

  • Jan 26, 11

    www.medicinenet.com/...page3.htm

    • No one knows the exact causes of leukemia.

      • The risk factors may be different for the different types of leukemia:

         
           
        • Radiation: People  exposed to very high levels of radiation are much more likely than others to get  acute myeloid leukemia, chronic myeloid leukemia, or acute lymphocytic  leukemia.

           
             
          • Atomic bomb explosions: Very high levels of radiation have been  caused by atomic bomb explosions (such as those in Japan during World War II).  People, especially children, who survive atomic bomb explosions are at increased  risk of leukemia.

             
          • Radiation therapy:  Another source of exposure to high levels of radiation is medical treatment for  cancer and other conditions. Radiation therapy can increase the risk of  leukemia.

             
          • Diagnostic x-rays: Dental x-rays and other diagnostic x-rays (such as  CT scans) expose people to  much lower levels of radiation. It's not known yet whether this low level of  radiation to children or adults is linked to leukemia. Researchers are studying  whether having many x-rays may increase the risk of leukemia. They are also  studying whether CT scans during childhood are linked with increased risk of  developing leukemia.

           
        • Smoking: Smoking  cigarettes increases the risk of acute myeloid leukemia.

           
        • Benzene: Exposure to benzene in the workplace can cause acute myeloid  leukemia. It may also cause chronic myeloid leukemia or acute lymphocytic  leukemia. Benzene is used widely in the chemical industry. It's also found in  cigarette smoke and gasoline.

           
        • Chemotherapy:  Cancer patients treated with certain types of cancer-fighting drugs sometimes  later get acute myeloid leukemia or acute lymphocytic leukemia. For example,  being treated with drugs known as alkylating agents or topoisomerase inhibitors  is linked with a small chance of later developing acute leukemia.

           
        • Down syndrome and  certain other inherited diseases: Down syndrome and certain other inherited  diseases increase the risk of developing acute leukemia.

           
        • Myelodysplastic syndrome and certain other blood disorders: People  with certain blood disorders are at increased risk of acute myeloid  leukemia.

           
        • Human T-cell leukemia virus type I (HTLV-I): People with HTLV-I  infection are at increased risk of a rare type of leukemia known as adult T-cell  leukemia. Although the HTLV-I virus may cause this rare disease, adult T-cell  leukemia and other types of leukemia are not contagious.

           
        • Family history of leukemia: It's rare for more than one person in a  family to have leukemia. When it does happen, it's most likely to involve  chronic lymphocytic leukemia. However, only a few people with chronic  lymphocytic leukemia have a father, mother, brother, sister, or child who also  has the disease.
         

        Having one or more risk factors does not mean that a person will get  leukemia. Most people who have risk factors never develop the disease.

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