Risks and causes for acute lymphoblastic leukaemia (ALL)

What is a risk factor?

Anything that can increase your risk of getting a disease is called a risk factor.

Different cancers have different risk factors.­ Having one or more of these risk factors doesn't mean you will definitely get that cancer.

Risk factors for ALL include:

Genetic conditions

Some rare, inherited conditions can increase the risk of acute leukaemia, including:

• Down’s syndrome

• Fanconi anaemia

• ataxia telangiectasia

• Bloom syndrome

Having a genetic condition does not mean you will definitely get leukaemia. The risk is still small.

Previous treatment with chemotherapy

People who have had certain chemotherapy in the past have a slightly increased risk of developing leukaemia some years later.

It's important to remember that this risk is still very small compared to the risk to your health if the cancer had not been treated. Chemotherapy is an important treatment for many different types of cancer.

Ionising radiation exposure

High energy (ionising) radiation can cause cancer because it can affect your cells and damage the ​DNA​.

Radiotherapy treatment for cancer uses ionising radiation. Research suggests that children who have had radiotherapy have a slightly increased risk of developing leukaemia later in life. When considering treatment, doctors make sure that the benefits outweigh the risks.

Are there other causes?

Stories about possible cancer causes are often in the media and it can be hard to know what’s true and what’s not. You may have heard of something that isn’t included here. This is because we only include a risk factor in this information if it is supported by good quality evidence.

Find out about common cancer myths and questions on the causes of cancer

Reducing your risk

Not all cancers can be prevented but there are things you can do to reduce your general risk of developing cancer.

These include not smoking and keeping a healthy weight.

Find out more about reducing your risk