MENUMDS Risk Factors
Most of the time, doctors don't know the exact cause of MDS. A risk factor is anything that increases your chance of developing a disease such as cancer. But risk factors don't tell us everything. People that do not have any risk factors can still get the disease. Having a risk factor, or even several, does not mean that you will get the disease.
The following factors may raise a person’s risk of developing MDS:
Cancer Treatment
Prior treatment with chemotherapy is the most important risk factor for MDS. Patients who have been treated with certain chemotherapy drugs for cancer are more likely to develop MDS. When MDS is caused by cancer treatment it is called secondary MDS or treatment- related MDS.
Genetic syndromes
Some bone marrow problems are caused by abnormal (mutated) genes that have been passed on from one or both parents. People with certain inherited syndromes are more likely to develop MDS. These disorders include Fanconi anemia, Shwachman-Diamond syndrome, familial platelet disorder, and severe congenital neutropenia.
Familial MDS
In some families, MDS has been found to occur more often than would be expected.
Smoking
Smoking increases the risk of MDS. Cancer-causing substances in tobacco smoke are absorbed into the blood as it passes through the lungs. Once in the bloodstream, these substances can spread to many parts of the body.
Environmental exposures
Environmental risk factors, such as radiation and certain chemicals, have been linked to MDS. High-dose radiation exposure (such as surviving an atomic bomb blast or nuclear reactor accident) increases the risk of developing MDS. Long-term workplace exposure to benzene and other chemicals used in the petroleum and rubber industries can also increase the risk of developing MDS.
Age
The risk of MDS increases with age. This disease is rare in children and is less common in people younger than 40, with most cases found in those older than 60.
Gender/ Sex
MDS is more common in men.