Leukemia is no different from many other types of cancer in that scientists are not sure exactly what causes the disease. But there are a few factors that scientists believe may increase your risk of developing leukemia, as well as a few facts about the prevalence of the disease that scientists know. For example, doctors know that the disease affects males more than females and whites more than non-whites, although they are not clear about why. There are several things that may increase your likelihood of acquiring leukemia, though.

Risk Factors

Scientists believe that a few different risk factors can raise the likelihood of developing leukemia. These factors include exposure to high-energy radiation. High-energy radiation can come from a few different sources, but one good example is the prevalence of cancers and other medical problems that resulted in the Japanese population after the explosion of the atomic bomb in Japan. Also, scientists have speculated that exposure to electromagnetic fields may play a role in the development of leukemia. These fields exhibit low-energy radiation from sources such as power lines and electric appliances found in many modern homes.

Genetic factors may also play a role in leukemia development. Children with Down’s syndrome, for example, are more likely to acquire leukemia. This may be due to the genetic mutation that children with the condition have. Workers in industries who are exposed to certain chemicals, in particular benzene, may also have a greater chance of acquiring leukemia. Also, some treatment drugs used for other types of cancer can potentially increase your risk of developing the disease. However, the chance of developing leukemia is much lower than the risk of not treating the other type of cancer. The benefits of chemotherapy far outweigh the small chance of developing leukemia.

Scientists have also determined that a virus may cause more uncommon types of leukemia, but even that is still unclear. What is clear is that leukemia may develop from many different potential causes, so further research is needed to bring clarification to exactly why the disease develops in the first place.