Causes
Causes:
No one really knows the exact cause of leukemia and why some people get it and some people don't. Acute leukemia occurs when a damaged white blood cell does not mature and die like normal white blood cells. As these damaged cells remain in their immature state, they continue to multiply and eventually accumulate and disrupt the functioning of the body's organs. In chronic leukemia, the blood cells become more mature and the advancement of the disease is generally slower in comparison to acute leukemia.
These abnormal white blood cells may soon outnumber the normal white blood cells and eventually interfere with the functioning of vital organs. During this process the affected person may bleed easily, develop frequent infections and feel constantly tired. The following are some of the risk factors that could increase a person's chance of developing leukemia.
Smoking:
People who smoke and use tobacco are at a risk of developing acute myeloid leukemia. The smke in cigarettes contains a chemical called benzene which can also affect the bone marrow.
Radiation Exposure:
Exposure to high amounts of radiation can lead to three types of leukemia namely acute myeloid leukemia, chronic myeloid leukemia, and lymphocytic leukemia.
Exposure To Harmful Chemicals:
Chemicals such as benzene may cause acute lymphocytic leukemia or chronic myeloid leukemia. Benzene is present in cigarettes, pesticides, detergents, gas etc. Benzene can also impair the production of blood.
X-rays And CT- Scans:
People who undergo diagnostic x-rays or CT scans are exposed to a small amount of radiation. However, it is not known for sure that exposure to such small amounts of radiation during CT scans or x-rays can increase a person's risk of developing leukemia.
Other Risk Factors:
Other factors such as chemotherapy treatment, people with down syndrome, or radiation therapy may also increase the risk of leukemia. Individuals who are infected with the HTLV-I virus may develop adult T-cell leukemia. This condition is quite rare and like all other types of leukemia it isn't contragious.
These are some of the factors that could pose a risk to acquiring leukemia. However it is also important to know that a lot of people with these risk factors do not develop leukemia and many others with none of these factors acquire the disease. There is still no exact known reason as to what causes leukemia.
