Back to Newsroom

Leukemia: Who is at Risk?

October 2007

Although the exact cause of leukemia is unknown, there are people with certain risk factors who are more likely than others to develop leukemia.

Some of these risk factors include:

• Very high levels of radiation – Examples include the atomic bomb explosions of World War II and the Chernobyl nuclear power plant accident in 1986. Low level exposure for diagnostic and medical treatment purposes tend to be safe.
• Certain Chemicals – Workers exposed to high levels of benzene and formaldehyde are at risk for leukemia.
• Chemotherapy – cancer patients treated with certain cancer-fighting drug sometimes later develop leukemia. Check with your physician.
• Down syndrome – The risk includes this and certain other genetic abnormalities caused by mutated chromosomes.
• Human T-cell leukemia virus-1 (HTLV-1) – This virus causes a rare form of leukemia. Like other forms of the cancer, it is not contagious.
•  Myelodysplastic syndrome – people with this blood disease are at an increased risk of developing acute myeloid leukemia.

Exposure to low-energy radiation electromagnetic fields such as power lines and household appliances has been studied and all evidence points to this NOT being a risk factor.

Most people with known risks will not develop leukemia, and some without any of the risk factors will develop the cancer. Knowing the risk factors will help in working with your physician to schedule checkups.

(Provided by the National Cancer Institute)