What Causes Aplastic Anemia?
Aplastic anemia is an illness that can have a negative effect on the white blood cells, red blood cells, and platelets in the body. When a patient is diagnosed with aplastic anemia it's because their stem cells in the bone marrow have been damaged and therefore aren't producing new, healthy blood cells. In many aplastic anemia cases, the cause of this damage is unknown; however, benzene exposure and intense radiation have been linked to the condition over the years.
In more than half of the cases, the cause of aplastic anemia can be unknown though and for these people, the diagnosis can be that much more difficult. Not knowing what is causing your body's sudden falter can be a very alarming thing to experience and for this reason it's suggested that many patients receive supportive therapy in addition to their chemotherapy and other forms of therapy they may be receiving.
Potential Causes of Aplastic Anemia
Aplastic anemia is a difficult health condition to diagnose since the symptoms, such as easy bruising, excessive bleeding and fatigue can be similar to other health conditions. However, once a patient is thought to have the disease the next question at hand is, what caused aplastic anemia? There are two types of aplastic anemia and with each of them, are different causes:
Acquired Aplastic Anemia- Aplastic anemia that develops as the result of environmental factors. The most common factor is exposure to benzene, a toxic chemical found in gasoline, sodas, cigarettes and certain dyes.
Hereditary Aplastic Anemia- In some cases aplastic anemia can be inherited, much like other genetic disorders like Fanconi anemia and Shwachman-Diamond syndrome.
