In most cases, leukemia is not hereditary and does not run in families.
Acute myeloid leukemiais a cancer of the blood cells.
When cancer develops in the stem cells, it starts forming immature blood cells instead.
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These immature cells dont work as well as mature blood cells.
But some AML patients inherit gene mutations that increase their risk of developing leukemia.
There is also a rare subtype of leukemia called familial AML that is passed through family lines.
This article will review the main inherited risk factors for AML, including a rare familial subtype.
Having a risk factor does not mean you will develop that disease.
Not having a risk factor also doesnt mean you wont get the disease.
Genetic changes that are inherited and directly cause or increase the risk of AML are rare.
There is only one known rare subtype of AML that is caused directly by an inherited mutation.
Family History
Family history is a way of saying that a close relative has had the disease.
A family history of a specific disease could mean that a sibling or parent has or had it.
Having a family history of AML does increase your risk of developing it.
It could be due to shared environmental factors from living in a certain area or having a certain lifestyle.
What Is Familial AML?
One rare subtype of AML is due to an inherited genetic mutation in the gene CEBPA.
The broken gene passes from parent to child through a dominant, non-sex-linked chromosome.
Luckily, only a few families harbor this extremely rare genetic mutation.
Prognosis with familial AML is slightly better than AML as a whole.
Summary
AML is deadly cancer that most people develop due to random mutations or environmental exposures.
However, talk to a genetic counselor if youre worried your children might be at risk of developing AML.
American Cancer Society.What is acute myeloid leukemia (AML)?
National Cancer Institute.Acute myeloid leukemia cancer stat facts.
American Cancer Society.Risk factors for acute myeloid leukemia (AML).
American Cancer Society.Risk factors for acute myeloid leukemia.
MedlinePlus.Familial acute myeloid leukemia with mutated CEBPA.
Nickels EM, Soodalter J, Churpek JE, Godley LA.Recognizing familial myeloid leukemia in adults.Ther Adv Hematol.
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