Can formaldehyde from pressed-wood furniture increase leukemia risk?

What's actually in it

Formaldehyde is a volatile organic compound (VOC) that off-gasses from pressed-wood furniture (like particleboard desks, MDF shelving, and laminate cabinets), plywood, carpet adhesives, and some paints. New furniture releases the most formaldehyde, but emissions can continue for months or even years.

At room temperature, formaldehyde evaporates into the air you breathe. Indoor levels are typically 2 to 10 times higher than outdoor levels.

What the research says

A 2026 study in Environ Health Perspect identified a specific molecular pathway through which formaldehyde promotes leukemic reprogramming in blood cells. The chemical activates the RUNX1-ISX axis, a genetic switch that tells normal blood stem cells to start behaving like cancer cells.

RUNX1 is one of the most frequently mutated genes in leukemia. Formaldehyde exposure pushed this gene into overdrive, triggering changes in blood cell development that are hallmarks of acute myeloid leukemia (AML). The study showed this effect at exposure levels that people encounter in everyday indoor settings.

The International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) has classified formaldehyde as a Group 1 carcinogen (known to cause cancer in humans). This new research explains one of the mechanisms behind that classification.

If you're buying new furniture, choose solid wood or look for products certified as low-formaldehyde or NAF (no added formaldehyde). Air out new furniture in a well-ventilated space before bringing it into bedrooms. Running a HEPA air purifier with an activated carbon filter can help reduce indoor formaldehyde levels.