| Leukemia is a disease that is considered to be | | | | occurs to people that don't smoke and therefore it |
| life-threatening. It requires prompt intervention when | | | | can't be considered a leukemia cause on itself; |
| discovered, in order to maximize the chances of | | | | - Prolonged exposure to radiation - Radiation is |
| recovering through specific treatment and therapy. | | | | considered to facilitate the development of leukemia. |
| Leukemia is basically a type of cancer of the bone | | | | It is believed that exposure to X-rays can be a |
| marrow and blood, caused by inappropriate cellular | | | | leukemia cause; |
| activity. The disease can be of different forms, | | | | - Prolonged exposure to benzene - statistics reveal |
| according to the types of blood cells that cause its | | | | that this is a major factor of risk in some forms of |
| development. Also, if leukemia is developing rapidly, it | | | | leukemia, such as myelogenous leukemia; |
| is called acute leukemia, while if the disease is | | | | - Chemotherapy and cancer treatment - previous |
| developing slowly, it is referred to as chronic | | | | cancer treatments and chemotherapy are known to |
| leukemia. | | | | facilitate the occurrence and development of |
| The direct leukemia causes are still unknown. In | | | | leukemia and can be considered plausible leukemia |
| present, medical science isn't able to establish the | | | | causes. Within a few years from the completion of |
| specific leukemia causes. However, a strong | | | | chemotherapy and other treatments for certain |
| connection between certain genetic factors and the | | | | forms of cancer, most people can develop leukemia. |
| development of the disease has been revealed. | | | | Among the genetic factors that are considered to be |
| Leukemia occurs on the background of genetic failure | | | | leukemia causes, the following ones are thought to |
| that causes the excessive production of incomplete, | | | | be the most important: |
| partially matured blood cells. Also, leukemia has a | | | | - chromosome abnormalities - some rare genetic |
| hereditary character, allowing the transmission of | | | | syndromes are known to contribute to leukemia |
| genetic predispositions to disease from one | | | | causes; |
| generation to another. Although many factors are | | | | - Immune system genetic problems - a weak immune |
| known to contribute to the development of | | | | system is very likely to facilitate the occurrence of |
| leukemia, they alone can't be considered leukemia | | | | leukemia and therefore can be considered a leukemia |
| causes. | | | | cause; |
| Despite the fact that statistics indicate a higher | | | | - Down syndrome - children born with this syndrome |
| incidence of the disease in people that are exposed | | | | have a very high risk of developing acute leukemia. |
| to some environmental factors of risk, leukemia | | | | The list of possible leukemia causes can continue |
| doesn't seem to be caused by neither of them in | | | | further, but these are the most common factors |
| particular. Among the environmental factors that are | | | | that are considered to be interrelated with leukemia. |
| thought to be leukemia causes, here are some of the | | | | While some of them can be prevented, others reside |
| most plausible ones: | | | | within the genes and in present can't be corrected. In |
| - Smoking - smoking is thought to increase the | | | | future, however, thanks to medical advance, we will |
| chances of being affected by leukemia. Although | | | | probably be able to prevent leukemia and other |
| statistics show that around 20 percent of acute | | | | forms of cancer. |
| leukemia cases are related to smoking, leukemia also | | | | |