What causes chronic leukemia?
Disease description:
My relative has always been in good health, but was suddenly diagnosed with chronic leukemia. I'd like to ask, what causes chronic leukemia?
Doctor's answer (1)
Dr. Zhang Heyang
Chronic leukemia is a malignant clonal disease of hematopoietic stem cells. Leukemic cells exhibit self-renewal, increased proliferation, loss of control over differentiation, and halted apoptosis at immature stages of cellular development. The excessive proliferation and accumulation of white blood cells in tissues such as the bone marrow suppress normal hematopoiesis and infiltrate organs and tissues, leading to leukemia. The exact cause remains unclear, but it may be associated with the following factors:
1. Biological factors: mainly viral infections and immune dysfunction.
2. Genetic factors: familial leukemia accounts for approximately 0.7% of all leukemia cases.
