What causes Myelodysplastic/myeloproliferative disease ?
What causes myelodysplastic/myeloproliferative disease? In most cases, the cause of myelodysplastic/myeloproliferative disease is unknown, and there is limited information regarding potential causes. No specific genetic defects have been identified for any of the diseases. The specific cause of chronic myelomonocytic leukemia (CMML) is unknown, but exposure to occupational and environmental carcinogens (agents that can cause cancer), ionizing radiation, and cytotoxic agents (agents that are toxic to cells) have been associated in some cases. The cause of juvenile myelomonocytic leukemia (JMML) is not known; however, children with neurofibromatosis type 1 (NF1) are at increased risk for developing JMML, and up to 14% of cases of JMML occur in children with NF1. Atypical chronic myelogenous leukemia (aCML) has been associated with cytogenetic (chromosomal) abnormalities in as many as 80% of individuals with the disease; however, no cytogenetic abnormality is specific. Myelodysplastic/myeloproliferative neoplasm, unclassifiable (MDS/ MPN-UC) (also known as mixed myeloproliferative/ myelodysplastic syndrome) also has no known cause.