Leukemia

What Increases Your Risk

A risk factor is anything that makes you more likely to get a disease. Most people who have leukemia do not have any known risk factors. But things that increase your risk of having leukemia include:

• Smoking or using other tobacco products. This risk factor is linked to some cases of acute myelogenous leukemia (AML).⁶
• Exposure to high levels of radiation. People who were close to atomic bomb explosions in Japan during World War II and people who were close to the 1986 nuclear plant accident in Chernobyl, have higher rates of some kinds of leukemia.
• Exposure to chemicals, such as benzene and formaldehyde. Sometimes people are exposed to these chemicals where they work.
• Chemotherapy or radiation used to treat a previous cancer.
• Conditions caused by abnormal chromosomes, such as Down syndrome.
• Infection with a type of HIV known as HTLV-1.
• Other blood diseases, such as myelodysplastic syndromes.
• Your family history. In some cases, chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL) runs in families.¹

Go to previous section	Go to top of page	Go to next section
Author:	Bets Davis, MFA	Last Updated: November 26, 2008
Medical Review:	Anne C. Poinier, MD - Internal Medicine Brian Leber, MDCM, FRCPC - Hematology
© 1995-2010 Healthwise, Incorporated. Healthwise, Healthwise for every health decision, and the Healthwise logo are trademarks of Healthwise, Incorporated. This information does not replace the advice of a doctor. Healthwise disclaims any warranty or liability for your use of this information. Your use of this information means that you agree to the Terms of Use. How this information was developed to help you make better health decisions.