Right now there is no known way to prevent most cases of leukemia. Unlike some other types of cancer, leukemia is usually not linked to lifestyle risk factors. Children with a higher risk of leukemia (such as those who have Li-Fraumeni syndrome or Down syndrome) should have careful medical exams by their doctor.

For some people, treatment with chemo or radiation for other, earlier cancers may cause leukemia later on. But the clear benefit of treating life-threatening diseases with chemo, radiation therapy, or organ transplant must be balanced against the small chance of developing leukemia several years later.

Because the cause of most cases of leukemia is not known, parents of children with leukemia need to know that there is nothing they could have done to prevent this illness.

Last Medical Review: 07/17/2009
Last Revised: 07/17/2009