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.

The cause of CML is not known, though researchers now understand how the disease develops from genetic changes in myeloid cells. Environmental factors account for only a small number of CML cases, and family history does not appear to play a role in the development of CML.

The following factors may raise a person’s risk of developing CML:

Age. The average age of a person with CML is 67. CML is uncommon in children and adolescents.

Radiation exposure. There was an increase in the rate of CML seen in Japan in long-term survivors of the atomic bombings. However, there is no proven link in the occurrence of CML following radiation therapy or chemotherapy given for other types of cancer or other diseases.

Gender. Men have a slightly higher risk of CML than women.