2) Previous treatment for cancer
The most common treatment for some types of cancer is chemotherapy. Some of the drugs that are used in chemotherapy have been linked in a number of studies with an increased risk of developing acute myeloid leukemia. These drugs include alkylating agents, anthracyclines, epipodophyllotoxins, purine analogs, and platinum derivatives. Therefore, reducing the dose or number of chemotherapy agents that are used to treat these types of cancer has been suggested as a way to reduce the risk of developing AML. It is important to note that the risk of developing AML as a result of chemotherapy is significantly lower than the expected benefit of receiving chemotherapy for the curative treatment of another type of cancer.