What factors increase the risk of developing chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL)? This review explores the genetic and environmental risk factors associated with CLL, a common type of leukemia, while recognizing the challenges in identifying specific causes. The review highlights that CLL is a familial cancer, although common high-penetrance risk alleles have not been identified. Genome-wide association studies have found common variants with low relative risks, while exome-wide rare variant analysis has implicated ATM in CLL causation. Environmental factors like Agent Orange and glyphosate herbicides may also play a role, but quantifying past exposures remains challenging. CLL is preceded by monoclonal B-cell lymphocytosis (MBL), considered a risk factor. The review underscores the incomplete understanding of CLL risk factors and the ongoing research to identify specific genetic and environmental causes. These findings highlight the complex nature of CLL and the importance of continued research to better understand its etiology, which could lead to improved prevention and treatment strategies. Future studies could focus on identifying novel genetic markers and quantifying environmental exposures to refine risk assessment and potentially inform early intervention strategies.
Published in the Journal of the National Comprehensive Cancer Network, this article addresses clinical risks for chronic lymphocytic leukemia, which is consistent with the journal's focus on neoplasms and tumors. The review contributes to medical research on cancer, providing cancer professionals with relevant diagnostic and treatment information.