Leukemia is a cancer that affects blood and bone marrow, and it is caused by the mutation in the DNA of blood cells. These mutations can occur naturally or be influenced by outside factors.
When white blood cells loose a piece of their DNA or their DNA is damaged a person will start to develop Leukemia. As with all cancer cells, these cells have developed a mutation so that they don’t need to go through the checkpoints in mitosis, a type of cell division. The leukemic cells are able to divided over and over again, and soon it creates an immature form that will never fully mature. However, unlike normal blood cells, these cancerous cells will not die but continue to replicate until the ratio of mutated cells is larger than the normal cells.
Another way the mutation of a white blood cell may occur is if one part of a chromosome detaches and attaches itself to another chromosome. This is called translocation and it disrupts the normal sequence of DNA along with adding the possibility of tumor growth. Radiation can cause Leukemia as well; damaging or destroying cells, and causing translocation.
The following is an informational video about Leukemia:
More Information:
The Leukemia and Lymphoma Society