Risk Factors

A risk factor is anything that increases a person’s chance of developing cancer. Some risk factors can be controlled, such as smoking, and some cannot be controlled, such as age and family history. Although risk factors can influence the development of cancer, most do not directly cause cancer. Some people with several risk factors never develop cancer, while others with no known risk factors do. However, knowing your risk factors and communicating them to your doctor may help you make more informed lifestyle and health care choices.

Although the cause of AML is not known, several factors are associated with an increased risk of the disease. The following factors may raise a person’s risk of developing AML:

Age. AML is more common in older adults, and the median age at diagnosis is 65.

Smoking. An estimated 20% of AML diagnoses may be linked to exposure to tobacco smoke, probably in association with other causes.

Genetic disorders. AML occurs more frequently in people with inherited disorders such as Down syndrome, ataxia telangiectasia, Li-Fraumeni syndrome, Klinefelter’s syndrome, Fanconi’s anemia, Wiskott-Aldrich syndrome, and Bloom’s syndrome.

High doses of radiation. People who have been exposed to high levels of radiation, such as long-term survivors of atomic bombs, may be more susceptible to AML.

Previous cancer treatment. People who have received chemotherapy and/or radiation therapy for other types of cancer, such as breast cancer, ovarian cancer, and lymphoma, have a higher risk of AML in the years following such treatment.

Chemicals. With the exception of prolonged contact with benzene products, exposure to industrial solvents and hair dyes has not been proven to increase a person’s risk of AML.