Leukemia Risk Factors

You can’t prevent leukemia, and scientists don’t know how to predict who will get it. But certain things might raise your risk of getting it. These include:

*Smoking. People who smoke or are around secondhand smoke are more likely to get a kind of leukemia called AML.

*Being around certain chemicals at work. People who work around chemicals such as benzene and formaldehyde have a higher risk of getting leukemia. People might also be exposed to harmful chemicals in the environment.

*Other cancer treatments. Sometimes, people who have had treatments such as radiation therapy or chemotherapy for other kinds of cancer might end up with leukemia.

*Some genetic conditions. People born with Down syndrome, Klinefelter syndrome, neurofibromatosis, or other conditions are more likely to get leukemia. If you have a condition that affects your leukemia risk, ask your doctor if there are any special tests or screenings you might need.

*Radiation. People who have been exposed to a lot of radiation are at higher risk of leukemia.

*Race. Your race and ethnicity can impact your risk of getting leukemia. For example, children who are Latino/a, Hispanic, or of Spanish descent are more likely than non-Latino kids to get leukemia. Research shows that people of Asian descent have a higher risk of getting acute myeloid leukemia (AML) but a lower risk of other leukemia types. People who are Black have a lower chance of getting most types of leukemia than people of other races.

*Gender. Males are a little bit more likely to get leukemia than females.

*Family history. If other people in your family have had leukemia, you might be more likely to get it.

*Age. Leukemia is more common in children and adults older than 55.