Scientists are currently uncertain of the exact causes of leukemia, but it’s generally thought to occur when blood cells acquire mutations in their DNA (the instructions inside cells that determine their actions). One fact scientists do know is that these abnormalities cause the cells to grow and divide more rapidly, or to continue living when other cells die. Over time, this can cause abnormal cells to crowd out healthy ones in the bone marrow, creating the signs and symptoms of leukemia.
