How to describe factors leading to a negative event?

Being a non-native English speaker, I am looking for an appropriate verb/phrase to describe the negative event as consequence of two health factors.

My best shot is "precipitate"; however, I am concerned whether this is correct.

Extent of surgical resection and the proliferative index of remaining tumor cells must be considered key precipitating factors of recurrence.

(That is recurrence of the tumor).

Thank you in advance. Best

The most common phrase is "risk factors". This conveys the idea that no one factor completely determines the negative event, but they all change the odds.