CAUSE+of+Leukemia+by+Sherry+&+Shradha

==|| HOME || CAUSE || EFFECTS || TREATMENT || PREVENTION || CURRENT NEWS || NOTES || MLA || == **__CAUSE OF LEUKEM____IA:__** **How you get the disease - genetic? lifestyle? Can you 'catch it'?** There is still no proofed reason and research for the causes of leukemia. However, researchers have came up with possible causes and risk factors. 


 **Age** 60%-70% of patients with leukemia are over 50 years old.

**Smoking** Smoking is a risk factor for leukemia, especially a type called acute myelogenous leukemia (AML).  [|Source]

**Radiation** High exposures of radiation can tear chemicals apart, damaging and destroying cells.Examples: X-Rays, Ultraviolet light found in sunlight, atomic bomb explosions **Chemicals** <span style="font-size: 156%; font-family: Tahoma,Geneva,sans-serif; text-align: left; display: block;">High exposures of chemicals while working can cause leukemia.Examples: Benzene, Formaldehyde.

<span style="font-size: 156%; font-family: Tahoma,Geneva,sans-serif; text-align: left; display: block; color: rgb(20, 173, 20);">**Previous Chemotherapy or Radiation Therapy** <span style="font-size: 156%; font-family: Tahoma,Geneva,sans-serif; text-align: left; display: block;">People who have been treated with chemotherapy or radiation therapy in the past to cure another cancer are more likely to get leukemia.

<span style="font-size: 156%; font-family: Tahoma,Geneva,sans-serif; text-align: left; display: block; color: rgb(20, 173, 20);">**Human T-Cell Leukemia Virus-I (HTLV-I)** <span style="font-size: 156%; font-family: Tahoma,Geneva,sans-serif; text-align: left; display: block;">This virus causes a rare type of leukemia, chronic lymphocytic leukemia (human T-cell leukemia). Fortunately, leukemia is most likely noncontagious. <span style="font-size: 156%; font-family: Tahoma,Geneva,sans-serif; text-align: left; display: block; color: rgb(20, 173, 20);">**Down Syndrome** <span style="font-size: 156%; font-family: Tahoma,Geneva,sans-serif; text-align: left; display: block;">People with irregular chromosomes can get diseases that increase the possibility of getting leukemia. <span style="display: block; font-size: 156%; font-family: Tahoma,Geneva,sans-serif; color: rgb(20, 173, 20); text-align: left;">**Genetics** <span style="font-size: 156%; font-family: Tahoma,Geneva,sans-serif; text-align: left; display: block;">Leukemia appears more in some families than others, which brings up the idea that leukemia can be hereditary.

<span style="color: rgb(255, 0, 0);">**<span style="color: rgb(20, 173, 20);">Quiz Question: ** Why would a sixty year old smoker with a family history of leukemia be more likely get leukemia? <span style="font-size: 120%; font-family: Tahoma,Geneva,sans-serif; text-align: left; display: block;">