Aplastic anemia is a rare disease consisting of pancytopenia which affects primarily young men and older persons of both genders. 2 to 6 people per million worldwide develop this disorder annually, with an obvious prevalence in the Orient as compared to either Europe or the United States. A variety of associations have been made in the attempt to find a specific cause, but no one cause can be identified. Treatment must be instituted promptly after diagnosis to avoid fatality. Patients treated successfully for aplastic anemia then have a higher risk of developing other diseases later in life, including cancer.