News & Information

Leukemia (cancer of the blood cells) is sometimes thought of as a “children’s disease,” but that’s a misconception. Over half of all leukemia victims are adults – usually over the age of 65. Leukemia doesn’t discriminate on an age basis – it can attack anyone. The National Cancer Institute estimates that 47,150 Americans will contract leukemia in 2012; 23,450 of those people will die. (1)

Scientists are still trying to discover why leukemia attacks bone marrow and releases cancerous cells into the bloodstream. While there are no definite known causes, there are a number of strongly associated risk factors. You’re more likely to get leukemia if you have Down’s syndrome or certain other genetic abnormalities; if you have undergone ionizing radiation treatment for another type of cancer; if you’ve taken alkylating agents as an anti-cancer drug; if you’ve been exposed to chemicals like benzene and ethylene oxide; if you’re a smoker; or if you’ve been diagnosed with a blood cell disorder like polycythemia vera or essential thrombocytopenia. (2)

If you think you may be at risk for leukemia, you should consider a cancer insurance policy. Leukemia treatments are astronomically expensive and they can destroy your lifestyle if you don’t have a financial plan in place. Cancer insurance protects you from the financial aftereffects of leukemia by paying you a lump sum benefit when you’re diagnosed with cancer. Learn more about supplemental cancer insurance, compare major insurance carriers and get free quotes at CancerPlans.com.

(1) PubMed Health. 3 July 2012. National Center for Biotechnology Information, U.S. National Library of Medicine. 16 July 2012. http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmedhealth

(2) About Leukemia. June 2012. New York State Department of Health. July 16 2012. http://www.health.ny.gov/statistics/cancer/registry/abouts/leukemia.htm