Table of contents:
- The cause of leukemia
- What are the risk factors for leukemia?
- 1. Increasing age
- 2. Male gender
- 3. Previous cancer treatment
- 4. Exposure to radiation
- 5. Exposure to chemicals
- 6. Smoking habits
- 7. Genetic disorders
- 8. Blood disorders
- 9. Family history
Leukemia is a common type of blood cancer. This condition can cause serious problems in the body, such as anemia, bleeding, infection, or even death. Even though it looks scary, preventing leukemia is still possible by avoiding various causes and risk factors for this disease. So, what are the causes and risk factors for leukemia?
The cause of leukemia
Leukemia cancer is a cancer cell found in the blood and bone marrow. Leukemia generally occurs due to the production of too many abnormal white blood cells (cancer cells), thus damaging the function of normal white blood cells in fighting infection.
These cancer cells also interfere with the bone marrow's ability to produce enough red blood cells and platelets for the body, so that sufferers may experience various symptoms of leukemia, such as anemia or bleeding.
Reporting from the Mayo Clinic, the cause of leukemia or cancer cells is a change or mutation of DNA in blood cells, called leukocytes. This DNA mutation causes white blood cells to grow and divide faster than normal and get out of control.
These cells continue to live even though normal cells will die over time and are replaced with new normal cells. Over time, these abnormal white blood cells will replace the presence of healthy cells in the bone marrow, including normal white blood cells, red blood cells, and platelets.
In addition to DNA mutations, scientists found chromosomal changes in patients with one type of leukemia, namely chronic myeloid leukemia (CML) or chronic myeloid leukemia, which may be the cause of leukemia. The reason is, most CML patients have an abnormal chromosome, which is called the Philadelphia chromosome.
The Philadelphia chromosome makes cells produce a protein called tyrosine kinase, which encourages leukemia cells to grow and reproduce.
However, until now, the cause of DNA mutations and other abnormalities in blood cells is still not known for sure. However, several factors are believed to increase a person's risk of developing leukemia.
What are the risk factors for leukemia?
Several factors are believed to increase a person's risk of developing leukemia. These factors, namely:
1. Increasing age
Leukemia can indeed be experienced by anyone, including children. However, leukemia is more often found in elderly people, namely over 65 years, especially in the type of acute myeloid leukemia (AML), chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL), or chronic myeloid leukemia (CML).
Thus, the risk of this disease can increase with age. As for the type of acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) is generally found in children or those aged under 20 years.
2. Male gender
Leukemia is more common in men than women. Thus, men can be more at risk of developing leukemia.
3. Previous cancer treatment
Cancer treatments, such as radiotherapy and chemotherapy, can cause DNA changes or mutations, which can then lead to other cancers, such as leukemia. Types of AML leukemia are generally associated with the treatment of various cancers, such as lymphoma, ALL leukemia, and other types of malignant cancer, such as breast cancer and ovarian cancer.
4. Exposure to radiation
A person exposed to high levels of radiation, such as from an atomic bomb explosion, working in an atomic weapon factory, or a nuclear reactor accident, is at increased risk of developing leukemia.
5. Exposure to chemicals
Exposure to certain chemicals, such as benzene, can also be a factor in leukemia. Benzene is a chemical found in gasoline or used in the chemical industry, such as for the manufacture of plastics, rubber, dyes, pesticides, medicines and detergents.
Apart from benzene, continuous exposure to the chemical formaldehyde is also said to increase a person's risk of developing leukemia. Formaldehyde is commonly found in building materials and many household products, such as soap, shampoo and cleaning products.
6. Smoking habits
Cigarettes contain a variety of chemicals that can cause cancer, including leukemia. Researchers estimate that about 20 percent of AML leukemia cases are related to smoking.
7. Genetic disorders
Genetic disorders can also increase a person's risk of developing leukemia. Some of these genetic disorders or disorders, namely down syndrome, Klinefelter syndrome, Schwachman-Diamond syndrome, or some rare genetic disorders, such as Fanconi anemia, ataxia-telangiecstasia, and Bloom's syndrome.
8. Blood disorders
Several other blood disorders can also cause certain types of leukemia. For example, one of a kind myeloproliferative disorders, namely polycythemia vera, can increase a person's risk of developing AML leukemia.
9. Family history
Most leukemias are not inherited and are not related to a family history. However, someone who has parents, children, or siblings with a history of CLL leukemia, has up to four times the risk of developing the same disease. However, most people with leukemia do not have families with the same disease.