How can Leukemia be prevented?

Condition analysis:
 There is no known way to prevent most types of leukemia. Most people with leukemia do not have known risk factors. A risk factor is anything that raises your chances of getting a disease. Some types of leukemia may be prevented by avoiding high doses of radiation, exposure to the chemical benzene, smoking and other tobacco use, or certain types of chemotherapy used to treat other types of cancer.

Instructions:
Antioxidants -- Children being treated for acute lymphoblastic leukemia seem more able to deal with their treatment if their levels of antioxidants don't drop too much. Kids with leukemia do not take enough antioxidants, which raises their risk of side effects during chemotherapy. Chemotherapy produces changes that stress the body's antioxidant defense system. Therefore, it's important that the diets of cancer patients contain adequate amounts of antioxidants. In a 6-month study, the researchers examined antioxidant intake and chemotherapy side effects in 103 children with acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL), the most common cancer in kids. During the study period subjects ingested vitamin E, total carotenoids, beta-carotene, and vitamin A in amounts that were 66, 30, 59, and 29 percent, respectively, of the US recommended dietary allowance. Greater intake of vitamin C was associated with fewer therapy delays, less side effects, and fewer days spent in the hospital. Similarly, the risk of infection and side effects decreased as vitamin E and beta-carotene intake increased.