How to understand the different types of leukemia and their causes

What is Chronic Leukemia?

Chronic Leukemia is noted by the abnormal cells that are a bit more mature than the blast cells seen in Acute Leukemia. This means the cells can do some of their normal functions. On the other hand, they do not fight infection like normal white cells would while they also live longer than normal white blood cells, thus allowing the body to have more abnormal white blood cells.

What is Lymphocytic Leukemia?

Lymphocytic Leukemia is when the lymphocytes white blood cells are affected by the abnormal or blasts cells. These white blood cells control the immune response whereas they hunt out and destroy things such as viruses.

What is Myelogenous Leukemia?

Myelogenous Leukemia attacks granulocytes or monocytes white blood cells in the bone marrow. These white bloods cells work to protect our body against infection and bacteria.

Now once the Leukemia is classified it is broken down into four types that are seen most often including Acute lymphocytic leukemia ( ALL ), acute myelogenous leukemia ( AML ), chronic lymphocytic leukemia ( CLL ), and chronic myelogenous leukemia (CML).

Acute Lymphocytic Leukemia Causes

Even though the exact causes of acute lymphocytic leukemia are not known there are certain risk factors that can lead to this type of leukemia.

The risk factors include:

•  Exposure to high levels of radiation

•  Exposure to chemicals such as benzene

•  Viral infections such as HTLV-1 and mononucleosis

•  Caucasians are more apt to develop acute lymphocytic leukemia than African Americans

•  Males are more apt to develop acute lymphocytic leukemia than females

Acute Myelogenous Leukemia Causes

Even though the exact causes of acute myelogenous leukemia are not known there are certain risk factors that can lead to this type of leukemia.

The risk factors include:

•  Age – those over the age of 60 are more apt to develop acute myelogenous leukemia

•  Men are more apt to develop acute myelogenous leukemia than women

•  Individuals that have received certain chemotherapy or radiation therapy treatments

•  Exposure to high levels of radiation

•  Exposure to chemicals such as benzene

•  Smoking

•  Blood disorders such as thrombocythemia

•  Genetic disorders such as Down Syndrome

Chronic Lymphocytic Leukemia Causes

Even though the exact causes of chronic lymphocytic leukemia are not known there are certain risk factors that can lead to this type of leukemia.

The risk factors include:

•  Exposure to herbicides (such as used in the farming industry or used in Agent Orange)

•  Exposure to insecticides (such as used in the farming industry or used in Agent Orange)

•  Age - those over the age of 50 are more apt to develop acute myelogenous leukemia

Chronic Myelogenous Leukemia Causes

Even though the exact causes of chronic myelogenous leukemia are not known there are certain risk factors that can lead to this type of leukemia.

The risk factors include:

•  Age - those over the age of 50 are more apt to develop acute myelogenous leukemia

•  Men are more apt to develop acute myelogenous leukemia than women

•  Exposure to high levels of radiation