Can Chronic Lymphocytic Leukemia (CLL) Be Prevented?
Most people with chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL) have no known risk factors that can be changed, so there is no clear way to prevent CLL at this time.
Lifestyle and CLL risk
The risk of many types of cancer can be lowered by making lifestyle changes to avoid or limit exposure to certain risk factors. But there are only a handful of known risk factors for chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL), and most of these can’t be avoided.
Farming and CLL risk
Some studies have suggested that farming and long-term exposure to certain pesticides and other chemicals may be linked to an increased risk of CLL. But more research is needed to be sure, so it’s not clear if avoiding these can lower a person’s risk.
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- References
Developed by the American Cancer Society medical and editorial content team with medical review and contribution by the American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO).
Awan FT, Byrd JC. Chapter 99: Chronic lymphocytic leukemia. In: Niederhuber JE, Armitage JO, Doroshow JH, Kastan MB, Tepper JE, eds. Abeloff's Clinical Oncology. 6th ed. Philadelphia, Pa: Elsevier; 2020.
Rai KR, Stilgenbauer S. Clinical features and diagnosis of chronic lymphocytic leukemia/small lymphocytic lymphoma. UpToDate. 2024. Accessed at https://www.uptodate.com/contents/clinical-features-and-diagnosis-of-chronic-lymphocytic-leukemia-small-lymphocytic-lymphoma on January 30, 2025.
Last Revised: March 20, 2025
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