What are the risk factors for chronic myelomonocytic leukemia?

A risk factor is anything that changes your chance of getting a disease such as cancer. Different cancers have different risk factors. For example, exposing skin to strong sunlight is a risk factor for skin cancer. Smoking is a risk factor for cancer of the lung and many other cancers. But risk factors don’t tell us everything. People without any risk factors can still get the disease. And having a risk factor, or even several, does not mean that you will get the disease. Because chronic myelomonocytic leukemia (CMML) is rare, it has been hard to study. For a long time it was grouped with myelodysplastic syndrome. As a result, only a few risk factors are known for this disease.

Age

The risk of CMML increases with age. This disease is rare in those younger than 40, with most cases found in people over 60.

Sex

CMML is more common in men.

Cancer treatment

Prior treatment with chemotherapy seems to increase the risk of CMML. The risk of CMML after cancer chemotherapy is not as high as the risk of other blood problems, such as myelodysplastic syndrome and acute myeloid leukemia.