Is chronic myeloid leukemia hereditary?
Disease description:
Recently, one of my friends was diagnosed with chronic myeloid leukemia. I vaguely recall him mentioning before that his grandfather had leukemia, but I don't know much about the genetic aspects of leukemia. I would like to ask: is chronic myeloid leukemia hereditary?
Doctor's answer (1)
Dr. Liu Feng
Chronic myeloid leukemia is usually not inherited.
1. **Nature of the disease**: Chronic myeloid leukemia is a type of myeloproliferative disorder caused by mutations in the patient's DNA. These mutations are typically acquired during life rather than being passed down through inheritance.
2. **Relation to family history**: Although chronic myeloid leukemia itself is not inherited, it may be associated with family history. There may be certain environmental or lifestyle factors within a family that make family members more susceptible to developing this disease.
3. **Gene mutation**: The most common mutation in chronic myeloid leukemia is the BCR-ABL fusion gene. This mutation is typically caused by chromosomal translocation and is not passed on to offspring through heredity.
