Acute myeloid leukemia, or AML, is a malignancy of the blood and bone marrow. Immature blood cells become abnormal immature white cells called myeloblasts. These cells displace healthy mature cells in the blood and bone marrow. The role of the normal white blood cells is compromised. Though the exact cause of AML is unclear, risk factors have been identified as causes for development of this form of cancer.
Benzene Exposure
Exposure to certain chemicals, particularly benzene, has been linked to the development of AML. Unleaded gasoline, detergents, paint and synthetic fibers contains benzene. Workers are exposed to varying levels of this chemical compound used for commercial and industrial purposes. The EPA identifies benzene as a Class A carcinogen. According to information from the Clean Water Partners, long-term exposure to this carcinogen is responsible for the damage to bone marrow and the proliferation of myeloblasts. The link of benzene exposure to AML dates back to the late 19th century.
Changes in DNA
According to the American Cancer Society, scientists have recently identified mutations in the DNA of people with AML. Translocations are the most common DNA change in cases of AML. One part of the chromosome breaks off and attaches to a different chromosome. Where this break occurs impacts surrounding genes. Physicians continue to study the role of loss of part and the reversal of part of a chromosome in AML. Not all people afflicted with AML have the same gene mutations. It is thought that the DNA changes happen during one's lifetime and are not inherited at birth.
Radiation Exposure
Exposure to high levels of radiation increases the risk of developing AML. The American Cancer Society identifies iodinating radiation as a cancer causing agent. This form of radiation has enough energy to damage DNA and lead to cancer. Supporting evidence comes from survivors of the atomic bomb in Japan, the nuclear accident in Chernobyl and workers in uranium mines. The American Cancer Society notes that leukemia is the "most common radiation-induced cancer" and can appear within a few years of exposure.
