Leukemia: Cause and Risk Factors
No one knows the exact leukemia causes, and doctors can seldom explain why one person will get leukemia and another person will not. However,
leukemia research has shown that people with certain risk factors are more likely than others to develop leukemia. A risk factor is anything that increases a person's chances of developing a disease.
Leukemia risk factors include:
- Exposure to very high levels of radiation
- Working with certain chemicals
- Receiving chemotherapy
- Having Down syndrome or other genetic conditions
- Having human T-cell leukemia virus-1 (HTLV-1)
- Having myelodysplastic syndrome.
Like all blood cells,
leukemia cells travel through the body. Depending on the number of abnormal cells and where these cells collect, patients with leukemia may have a number of symptoms.
Common leukemia symptoms may include:
- Fevers or night sweats
- Frequent infections
- Feeling weak or tired
- Headache
- Pain in the bones or joints
- Swelling or discomfort in the abdomen (from an enlarged spleen)
- Swollen lymph nodes, especially in the neck or armpit
- Weight loss
- Bleeding and bruising easily (e.g., bleeding gums, purplish patches in the skin, or tiny red spots under the skin).
It is important to note that these symptoms are not sure signs of leukemia. An infection or another problem could also cause these symptoms. People who have possible leukemia symptoms should see a doctor as soon as possible -- only a doctor can make a
leukemia diagnosis and treat the problem.
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