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A risk factor is anything that increases a person’s chance of developing cancer. Although risk factors often influence the development of cancer, most do not directly cause cancer. Some people with several risk factors never develop cancer.
There are very few known risk factors for chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL). These include:
- Age - The risk of CLL goes up as you get older. About 9 out of 10 people with CLL are over age 50.
- Exposure To Certain Chemicals - Some studies have linked exposure to Agent Orange, an herbicide used during the Vietnam War, to an increased risk of CLL.
- Family History - First-degree relatives (parents, siblings, or children) of people with CLL have more than twice the risk for this cancer.
- Gender - Men develop CLL more often than women.
- Race/Ethnicity - CLL is more common in North America and Europe than in Asia. Asian people who live in the United States do not have a higher risk than those living in Asia. This is why experts think the differences in risk are related to genetics rather than environmental factors.