I was wondering if leukaemia can be hereditary.
I was diagnosed with CLL 3 years ago, my wife died from AML and the thought of my children being susceptible crossed my mind. I did ask Doctor Google the question but it seems the jury is out on that subject.
About 10% of CLL is familial; the other blood cancers don't need to be CLL. There are even a couple of clinical trials in the USA:-
Familial Chronic Lymphocytic Leukemia Study
dceg.cancer.gov/research/cl...
Genetic Study of Chronic Lymphocytic Leukemia Families
clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show...
Neil
Hi Bigglesworth,
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AussieNeil has given an excellent answer. It seems that a small portion of CLL patients have relatives that have CLL, and I also have heard that lymphomas and leukemias are found in some families.
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I have alerted my children that if their routine blood tests indicate high White cell counts they should ask for a CBC + diff and expect a high Neutrophil count as the cause- indicating a recent infection. If it is a high lymph count, then they should call me and plan to see a hematologist for further diagnosis.
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Since I had 5 relatives pass from cancer when they were in their 60's to 80's, I suspect our family has weak immune systems that do not detect and control cancer cells, so that may be our common thread.
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Len
It’s shocking how cancer is so prevalent in today’s world, my mother had an episode of cancer back in the 1960’s , apparently I must have blocked it out of my memory since I have absolutely no recollection of it. My daughter-in-law had breast cancer about 12yrs ago but thankfully she is a survivor.
Yes I always say" too much cancer in this world" but when I was 10, a neighbor boy, who was 12 died of stomach cancer. That was in the early 60's...I had an Aunt Rose who died of breast cancer back then. So it was around, but not spoken of so prevenlently...at least not in my childhood hearing. I wonder if today''s treatments had been available back then, could their outcome have been different?
If you want to know why cancer is so prevalent, read METABOLICAL by Dr. Lustig.
My Dad his twin and their mom had CLL to some form of leukemia. I have CLL but my sister does not. I think anything can be hereditary. I never thought about it till I got my shocking CLL diagnosis. I never told my Dad. I didn't want to make him feel guilty. He had it 30 years & never needed treatment. Lived to 94. I was on W&W for 12 years before I needed treatment.
While I think some B cell disorders are heritable (rheumatoid arthritis, possibly some forms of CLL or other cancers related to B cell dysfunction) IMO it's the toxins and chemicals in our air, water, and food and other sources (lotions, makeup, sunscreen, cleaning chemicals used without gloves, stuff inhaled while painting or woodworking, exposure to high EMF sources, etc) as the ozone layer is depleted, that is contributing to either A) increased breakage of DNA, coupled with B) inability to properly repair DNA that gets broken. Our DNA gets broken and repaired constantly. As insults/stressors to our systems increased, the likelihood that a system may not work optimally, or fail at least occasionally, increases. In addition to any exposure to chemicals we now know can cause DNA disruption such that a cancer of some sort shows up decades later. Microplastics we ingest and breathe, emotional stress, many types of stressors that our bodies need to adjust and adapt to. IMO if you teach your children to not eat junk, and use protective gear when indicated, and be considerate of the various things in their environment (things like poorly made furniture and carpet off gassing so the rooms must be aired out first, being mindful of paint fumes when painting plus trying to select low VOC items, checking the air quality in major cities before choosing to do outside heavy exercise), they will do better than many of those around them. So once again, it seems to be a combination of "nature" (their genes) and "nuture" (their environment). We can't avoid everything that is *potentially* harmful, but we can be aware of our choices. From closing car windows on a busy freeway to avoid breathing carbon monoxide and other air pollutants, to carefully washing food, avoiding chemicals like Febreze or "laundry scent beads" and fabric softeners, less toxic house cleaning options, etc. we can cut our risk. Not to live in fear of everything in the environment, just, be aware of our choices and understand what effects *not* bothering to put on a mask, goggles, and gloves when using turpentine, might have. What choosing a house underneath major power transmission lines might mean. We can't avoid everything that is potentially harmful, but we can make choices. Don't argue/fight with the neighbors over fence height or decorations, learn not to care if you don't have a brand new vehicle every X years, or the latest clothing styles. Or at least make those choices knowingly and thoughtfully, and minimize impacts when you can.
I feel like the “most common leukemia” label for CLL misleads us a bit here.
Yes, CLL has some small hereditary component, and my kids are more likely than average to get it.
But (per NIH for all leukemias) Rate of New Cases and Deaths per 100,000: The rate of new cases of leukemia was 14.1 per 100,000 men and women per year. The death rate was 6.0 per 100,000 men and women per year.
So I told my kids “it’s something to keep an eye out for as you get older, but your chances went from .014% to .028% or thereabouts, so really the answer is: you’ll die of something else. Now eat your veggies.”
I believe that some cancers run in families, for example my grandmother, my mother and myself had breast cancer, both died as a consequence I thankfully am still here, My Mother's 2 brothers and 1 sister also died of cancer, grandfather a heart attack so that family all had cancer, I survive at 79, so far so good, but then I had regular Mammograms which were not available to them so thank God for technology.
I’m 3rd generation CLL. In some situations possibly, and in others it doesn’t flow through the genes. Lucky or unlucky draw. I certainly have not primed my sons to think they’ll inherit. Hopefully the buck stops with me. 🤟
I was diagnosed with CLL at age 82 three years ago, my brother at 71 also three years ago and my blood cousin at age 81, 14 years ago. Cousin died at age 95 this year. Lived 14 years until medications and transfusions stopped working. My brother and I are doing well on Calquence.
Test results online. Any suggestions how I get these. 
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V&O treatment is over
