Risk Factors for Eosinophilic Leukemia
In most cases, the eosinophils in eosinophilic leukemia are part of a clonal population. This implies that they’re from the same genetic lineage, therefore experiencing the same genetic changes. CEL-NOS and eosinophilic leukemias with known genetic changes are linked with a clonal population of eosinophils.
As discussed earlier, known genetic changes are associated with some eosinophilic leukemias. The changes happen in genes that control the growth of eosinophils, such as:
- PDGFRA
- PDGFRB
- FGFR1
When changes occur in the above genes, eosinophils start to develop uncontrollably. Some examples of leukemia types that are linked with these genetic changes are:
- chronic myeloid leukemia (CML)
- acute myeloid leukemia (AML)
- chronic myelomonocytic leukemia (CMML)
While rare, elevated eosinophil levels can also occur in reaction to another type of leukemia, such as ALL. It’s believed that this happens in response to an increased synthesis of substances that enhance eosinophil growth and survival.