Risk Factors for Leukemia Everyday Health MenuNewslettersSearch Leukemia Risk Factors for Leukemia Find out which conditions and circumstances give people a greater chance of developing this disease. By Julie Lynn MarksMedically Reviewed by Abeer N. AbouYabis, MDReviewed: August 25, 2022Medically ReviewedEnvironmental causes, genes, and family history are among the risk factors for leukemia.Shutterstock Leukemia develops when blood cells acquire changes in their DNA that cause them to grow and divide more quickly. Just what causes this change isn’t fully understood, but experts believe it’s likely several different culprits, which may include the following. (1) 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. Related: What Are the Risk Factors for Cancer? 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) NEWSLETTERS Sign up for our Cancer Care Newsletter SubscribeBy subscribing you agree to the Terms of Use and Privacy Policy. Editorial Sources and Fact-Checking Leukemia: Symptoms and Causes. Mayo Clinic.The Link Between Down’s Syndrome and Leukaemia. Leukaemia Care.Risk Factors for Acute Myeloid Leukemia. American Cancer Society. August 21, 2018.Risks and Causes for Acute Lymphoblastic Leukaemia (ALL). Cancer Research UK. July 28, 2021.Leukemia Risk Factors. University of Michigan Rogel Cancer Center.Herpes Virus Linked to Most Common Type of Childhood Cancer. American Society of Hematology. December 15, 2016.Risk Factors for Childhood Leukemia. American Cancer Society. June 9, 2020.What’s in a Cigarette? American Lung Association. July 13, 2020.Diet, Exercise, and Your Cancer Risk. American Cancer Society. April 12, 2019.Show Less The Latest in Leukemia Leukemia Survivorship and CareInformation, support, and resources can help survivors cope with any long-term effects of treatment.By Julie Lynn MarksAugust 25, 2022 Leukemia Treatments Chemotherapy Targeted Therapy Radiation and MorePeople diagnosed with leukemia have many options for treatment, including new targeted drugs. By Julie Lynn MarksAugust 25, 2022 What Is Hairy Cell Leukemia Treatment Symptoms and CausesBy Pamela KaufmanAugust 8, 2022 What Is Myelofibrosis Symptoms Causes Diagnosis Treatment and PreventionBy Julie Lynn MarksJune 12, 2022 What Is Acute Myeloid Leukemia AML Symptoms Causes Diagnosis Treatment and PreventionBy Pamela KaufmanDecember 2, 2021 What Is Leukemia Symptoms Causes Diagnosis Treatment and PreventionLeukemia is a type of cancer that affects the blood cells and bone marrow, a soft spongy tissue inside the bones where blood cells are made.By Julie Lynn MarksAugust 13, 2020 What is Chronic Lymphocytic Leukemia CLL Symptoms Stages and Treatment CLL is the most common leukemia that occurs in adults.By Julie Lynn MarksJune 16, 2020 Leukemia Rashes Infections and Bruises People with leukemia are prone to a range of skin-related problems, from rashes and bruising to infections and bleeding into the skin.By Nicol NataleMarch 27, 2019 Chemo-Free Drug Combination Tops Standard Chemotherapy for Treating Chronic Lymphocytic Leukemia CLL Nearly 85 percent of patients survived for two years without disease progressing.By Paul RaeburnJuly 31, 2018 Types of Leukemia There s More Than One Variety of This Blood DiseaseNot all leukemias are the same. The cancer is divided into different types, depending on the blood cells it affects and how fast it progresses.By Julie MarksMay 29, 2018 MORE IN Everything You Need to Know About MUTYH Causes of Pancreatic Cancer Gene Mutation STK11 and Cancer Risk