Get Email Alerts
What Causes Fanconi Anemia?
Fanconi anemia (FA) is an inherited disease. The term “inherited” means that the disease is passed from parents to children through genes. At least 13 faulty genes are associated with FA. FA occurs when both parents pass the same faulty FA gene to their child.
People who have only one faulty FA gene are FA "carriers." Carriers don't have FA, but they can pass the faulty gene to their children.
If both of your parents have a faulty FA gene, you have:
- A 25 percent chance of having FA
- A 25 percent chance of not having FA
- A 50 percent chance of being an FA carrier and passing the gene to any children you have
If only one of your parents has a faulty FA gene, you won't have the disorder. However, you have a 50 percent chance of being an FA carrier and passing the gene to any children you have.
Clinical trials are research studies that explore whether a medical strategy, treatment, or device is safe and effective for humans. To find clinical trials that are currently underway for Fanconi Anemia, visit www.clinicaltrials.gov.
Visit Children and Clinical Studies to hear experts, parents, and children talk about their experiences with clinical research
The NHLBI updates Health Topics articles on a biennial cycle based on a thorough review of research findings and new literature. The articles also are updated as needed if important new research is published. The date on each Health Topics article reflects when the content was originally posted or last revised.
Twitter
Facebook
YouTube