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At this time we do not know the cause of most cases of acute
lymphocytic leukemia (ALL). But some cases can be linked to certain risk factors. A
risk factor is something that affects a person's chance of getting a
disease. Some risk factors, like smoking, can be controlled. Others,
such as a person's age, can't be changed. But risk factors don't tell
us everything. Having a risk factor, or even several risk factors, does
not mean that you will get the disease. And many people who get the
disease may not have had any known risk factors. Even if a person has a
risk factor and gets cancer, it is often very hard to know how much
that risk factor may have contributed to the cancer.
There are only a few known risk factors for ALL.
Radiation
exposure: A high level of radiation exposure is a risk
factor for acute leukemia. People who survived the atomic bomb in Japan
had a greatly increased risk of getting acute leukemia, usually within
6 to 8 years.
The risk of leukemia from lower levels of radiation, such as
from radiation treatment, x-rays, or CT scans, is not well-defined. It
is also not clear how much the exposure of a fetus to radiation within
the first months of development might increase the risk of leukemia. If
there is an increased risk it is likely to be small, but to be safe,
most doctors try to limit a person's exposure to radiation as much as
possible.
Chemicals:
The risk of ALL may be increased by exposure to certain chemicals, such
as benzene and certain chemotherapy drugs. Chemical exposure is more
strongly linked to an increased risk of AML than to ALL.
Certain viral
infections: Infection with a virus called HTLV-1 can cause
a rare type of ALL. But this disease is not common in the United
States. The virus that causes "mono," (mononucleosis) is called Epstein
Barr Virus or EBV. It has also been linked to a form of ALL.
Inherited
syndromes: ALL does not appear to be an inherited disease.
It does seem to run in families, but there are some inherited syndromes
that seem to raise the risk of ALL. These include:
- Down syndrome
- Klinefelter syndrome
- Fanconi anemia
- Bloom syndrome
- ataxia-telangiectasia
- neurofibromatosis
Race/ethnicity:
ALL is more common in whites than in African Americans, but the reasons
for this are not clear.
Gender:
ALL is slightly more common in males than in females. The reason for
this is unknown.
Identical twin
with ALL: Having an identical twin with ALL is a risk
factor for ALL. This risk is mostly in the first year of life. Many
doctors feel this increased risk may be due to leukemia cells being
passed from one fetus to the other while still in the womb.
Can acute lymphocytic leukemia be prevented?
Since most people with acute lymphocytic leukemia don't have
any known risk factors, there is no way to prevent leukemia at this
time.
Last Medical Review: 08/07/2009
Last Revised: 08/07/2009
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