The role of chemotherapy, radiation, and immune-suppressing drugs
Unfortunately, risk factors for developing leukemia include cancer treatment with chemotherapy and radiation, and immune-suppressing drugs given to transplant patients. Although this isn’t a common experience, it is still a known risk factor.
Medical research is being done to see if there are ways to treat cancer and care for organ transplant patients without increasing their risk for leukemia. Currently, the benefits of chemotherapy, radiation, and immune-suppressing drugs outweigh the slight increase in the risk for leukemia.