Leukemia is a blood-related cancer that results in over 44,000 new diagnoses each year in the United States, according to the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society. The specific causes of leukemia are not known, but doctors now understand more about how the cancer works in general and what some risk factors are for developing leukemia.

Function

Leukemia occurs due to a mutation inside of the genetic material in a white blood cell. This mutation multiplies and causes other white blood cells to grow abnormally fast, forming cancer.

Significance

Doctors do not fully understand what causes this mutation, but it appears to result from a combination of genetic and environmental factors, according to the Mayo Clinic.

Symptoms

Symptoms of leukemia include fever, chills, weakness, fatigue, loss of appetite, swollen lymph nodes, easy bleeding or bruising, shortness of breath during routine activities, tiny red spots on your skin, sweating and bone pain.

Types of Leukemia

Acute leukemia affects immature white blood cells and develops very quickly, while chronic leukemia occurs in older cells and moves more slowly. Lymphocytic leukemia affects lymph cells, which form the immune system, and Myelogenous cells, which are prototype cells that later become white or red blood cells as well as platelets.

Risk Factors

Patients who received chemotherapy or radiation therapy for another type of cancer earlier in life are at risk for developing leukemia due to potential cell damage involved with those therapies. Down syndrome, a family history of leukemia, tobacco, repeated exposure to benzene and exposure to radiation also pose a risk for leukemia, according to the Mayo Clinic.

Source

Mayo Clinic

Leukemia and Lymphoma Society

The Oncology Channel