A person with cancer can develop a low WBC count from the cancer or from treatment for the cancer. Cancer may be in the bone marrow, causing fewer neutrophils to be made. The WBC count can also go down when cancer is treated with chemotherapy drugs, which slow bone marrow production of healthy WBCs.
What causes low white blood cell count after cancer?
Cancer-related causes of low blood cell counts include: Chemotherapy. Radiation therapy. Cancers of the blood and bone marrow. Cancers that spread (metastasize).
What are the causes of bone marrow cancer?
It isn’t clear what causes bone marrow cancer. Contributing factors may include: exposure to toxic chemicals in solvents, fuels, engine exhaust, certain cleaning products, or agricultural products exposure to atomic radiation
How does chemotherapy affect your bone marrow?
Your bone marrow makes blood cells, which grow rapidly, making them very sensitive to the effects of chemotherapy. Chemotherapy kills many of the cells in your bone marrow, but the cells recover with time. Your doctor can tell you whether your specific chemotherapy treatment and dose will put you at risk of low blood cell counts.
Can chemotherapy cause low blood cell count?
Chemotherapy kills many of the cells in your bone marrow, but the cells recover with time. Your doctor can tell you whether your specific chemotherapy treatment and dose will put you at risk of low blood cell counts. Radiation therapy.
How does cancer treatment affect bone marrow?
Certain chemotherapy drugs can damage your bone marrow — the spongy material found in your bones. Your bone marrow makes blood cells, which grow rapidly, making them very sensitive to the effects of chemotherapy. Chemotherapy kills many of the cells in your bone marrow, but the cells recover with time.
Why does WBC decrease in cancer patients?
Why It Occurs. A person with cancer can develop a low WBC count from the cancer or from treatment for the cancer. Cancer may be in the bone marrow, causing fewer neutrophils to be made. The WBC count can also go down when cancer is treated with chemotherapy drugs, which slow bone marrow production of healthy WBCs.
Why does cancer cause bone marrow suppression?
What causes bone marrow suppression in a child? Chemotherapy medicines make it harder for the bone marrow to make blood cells the way it normally does. Nearly all chemo medicines cause a drop in blood cell counts. The drop in blood cell counts varies depending on which medicines are used for your child's treatment.
How long does it take white blood cells to recover after chemo?
Fortunately, the effect of these drugs on the white blood cell count is usually both predictable and short-lived. The white cell count generally falls below the normal range about seven to ten days after a chemotherapy treatment and recovers within about a week after that.
What happens when white blood cells are low during chemo?
Your white blood cells are an essential line of defense against germs like bacteria and viruses that might make you sick. When the white blood cell count is low, your body has more difficulty fighting off infections. As a result, you may get sick more often or get sicker than you usually would.
Does chemo affect white blood cell count?
Answer: Carolyn Vachani RN, MSN, responds: A low white blood cell (WBC) count, is one of the more serious side effects of chemotherapy. It can make it necessary to delay treatment to allow the WBC count to recover, and/or cause the care team to reduce the chemotherapy dose to prevent it from happening again.
Can bone marrow suppression be reversed?
Myelosuppression is usually reversible; however, it may take several months for the white blood cell count to return to the normal range, and some patients remain relatively leukopenic. Irreversible, fatal bone marrow suppression has been reported in patients receiving chlorambucil for rheumatic disease.
Does chemo destroy bone marrow?
While high doses of chemotherapy and radiation can effectively kill cancer cells, they have an unwanted side effect: They can also destroy the bone marrow, where blood cells are made.
Does chemotherapy suppress bone marrow?
Bone marrow suppression is when fewer blood cells are made in the marrow. It's a common side effect of some strong medicines, such as chemotherapy. Bone marrow suppression can cause: Anemia.
What chemotherapy drugs cause bone marrow suppression?
The majority of chemotherapeutic agents can cause myelosuppression in a dose-dependent manner. Among these compounds, alkylating agents, pyramidine analogs, anthracyclines, anthraquinones, nitrosoureas, methotrexate, hydroxyurea and mitomycin C are highly cytotoxic to BM [6,7].
What cancers cause low WBC?
Low white blood cell count. These types of cancers include leukemia, lymphoma, and multiple myeloma.
How long is a person immunocompromised after chemo?
Patients experience a wide spectrum of immunosuppression with cancer treatment. Some patients have very little if any immunosuppression, while others can have a compromised immune system for weeks or even longer. Patient should talk to their physician about the degree and duration of immunocompromise.
What does it mean if white blood cell count is low?
A low white blood cell count in adults is less than 4,000 cells per microliter of blood. A low white blood cell count can be an indicator of certain conditions, including lupus, rheumatoid arthritis, vitamin deficiencies, or a side effect of cancer treatment.
What is the range of WBC in cancer?
150,000 to 400,000 per microliter.
What are causes of low white blood cells?
What causes a low white blood cell count?cancer treatment, like radiotherapy.antipsychotic medicines.medicine for an overactive thyroid.some cancers, like leukaemia.infections such as HIV or hepatitis.autoimmune disorders, like rheumatoid arthritis.
Does cancer cause high WBC?
While infections and inflammation are more often to blame for an increase in white blood cell counts, some cancers can increase your WBC count as well. This condition, called leukocytosis, can occur in some of the same cancers that cause WBCs to drop, like leukemia and lymphoma.
What's Measured in A Blood Cell Count?
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What Causes Low Blood Cell Counts?
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How Are Low Blood Cell Counts Treated?
If you have low blood cell counts, your treatment will depend on which counts are low and what's causing the low numbers. Common treatments include...
How Can You Cope With Low Blood Cell Counts?
Take steps to keep your body healthy when you have low blood cell counts. For example: 1. Eat a balanced diet. Your body needs all the vitamins and...
What is the most common type of bone marrow cancer?
Multiple myeloma. The most common type of bone marrow cancer is multiple myeloma. It starts in the plasma cells. These are white blood cells that make antibodies to protect your body from foreign invaders. Tumors form when your body starts to produce too many plasma cells.
What tests are done to determine if you have bone marrow cancer?
Depending on those findings and your symptoms, diagnostic testing may involve: blood tests, such as complete blood count, chemistry profile, and tumor markers.
What are the symptoms of multiple myeloma?
Signs and symptoms of multiple myeloma may include: weakness and fatigue due to shortage of red blood cells ( anemia) bleeding and bruising due to low blood platelets ( thrombocytopenia) infections due to shortage of normal white blood cells ( leukopenia) extreme thirst. frequent urination.
What is the name of the disease that involves white blood cells?
Leukemia. Leukemia usually involves white blood cells. The body produces abnormal blood cells that don’t die off as they should. As their numbers grow, they swarm normal white blood cells, red blood cells, and platelets, interfering with their ability to function.
What is the best treatment for cancer?
Radiation therapy. Radiation therapy delivers high-energy beams to a targeted area to kill cancer cells, reduce tumor size, and ease pain. Transplant. With a stem cell or bone marrow transplant, damaged bone marrow is replaced with healthy marrow from a donor.
What tests are done to check for cancer?
blood tests, such as complete blood count, chemistry profile, and tumor markers. urine tests to check protein levels and assess kidney function. imaging studies such MRI, CT, PET, and X-ray to look for evidence of tumors. biopsy of the bone marrow or enlarged lymph node to check for the presence of cancerous cells.
What are the symptoms of leukemia?
peripheral neuropathy, or tingling, due to nerve damage. Some signs and symptoms of leukemia are: fever and chills. weakness and fatigue.
Why is my WBC low?
A person with cancer can develop a low WBC count from the cancer or from treatment for the cancer. Cancer may be in the bone marrow, causing fewer neutrophils to be made. The WBC count can also go down when cancer is treated with chemotherapy drugs, which slow bone marrow production of healthy WBCs.
What is it called when you have fewer than 1,000 neutrophils in your blood?
In general, an adult who has fewer than 1,000 neutrophils in a microliter of blood has neutropenia. If the neutrophil count is very low, fewer than 500 neutrophils in a microliter of blood, it is called severe neutropenia.
Why is it so hard to fight off pathogens?
They sense infections, gather at sites of infection, and destroy the pathogens. When the body has too few neutrophils, the condition is called neutropenia. This makes it harder for the body to fight off pathogens. As a result the person is more likely to get sick from infections.
What Are White Blood Cells?
There are several types of white blood cells (WBCs), also called leukocytes, and each can be affected differently by cancer and its treatments. There are five types of white blood cells:
What Causes a Low White Blood Cell Count?
A low white blood cell count can develop as a result of cancer or cancer treatment. You may also be given a more specific diagnosis based on the exact type of white blood cell affected like neutropenia, which is a low number of neutrophils. 1
Preventing Infections
Since white blood cells help defend your body against pathogens, too few WBCs can increase your risk of infections. For people with cancer, their risk of infection is even higher due to weakness, nutrition problems, and other side effects of cancer and cancer treatments. 1
Summary
Cancer and treatments used to treat cancer, such as chemotherapy and radiation therapy, can lower your WBC count. White blood cells are immune system cells that help defend your body against foreign threats like viruses and bacteria. When the number of WBCs in your body are low, you are at a higher risk of infections.
A Word From Verywell
Some cancers can cause your white blood cell count to increase, but more often it reduces the number of these cells. WBCs power the immune system, and both cancer and cancer treatments can reduce the number of these cells that you have available to fight infection.
Frequently Asked Questions
No. Bone marrow and blood cancers, in particular, can lead to high blood counts as the cancer cells cause blood cells to reproduce rapidly. 5
Do you always have high white blood cell count with cancer?
Not always. A high white blood cell count could signal certain types of cancer, such as leukemia or lymphoma, but it more often is a sign of inflammation or infection. When there is a pathogen in your body, your immune system releases cells to fight it off and heal your body.
What cancer causes low white blood cell count?
Cancer that starts in the bone marrow, such as leukemia , lymphoma , and myeloma. Metastatic cancer in the bone marrow, such as from breast cancer or prostate cancer. Other bone marrow problems, such as myelodysplastic disorders. Radiation therapy that involves the bone marrow.
What cancers cause low blood count?
What cancers are associated with anemia? Red blood cells. Cancers that involve the marrow space, such as leukemia or lymphoma, compete with the marrow’s function and interfere with normal red blood cell production. This, then, causes anemia, O’Neill says.
Is low WBC always cancer?
A low white blood cell count is associated with certain conditions, including: Cancer (caused by chemotherapy treatments) Bone marrow disorders or damage. Autoimmune disorders (problems with the immune system in which the body attacks itself), such as lupus.
What is an alarming white blood cell count?
In general, for adults a count of more than 11,000 white blood cells (leukocytes) in a microliter of blood is considered a high white blood cell count.
What is the most common reason for low white blood cell count?
A low white blood cell count usually is caused by: Viral infections that temporarily disrupt the work of bone marrow. Certain disorders present at birth (congenital) that involve diminished bone marrow function. Cancer or other diseases that damage bone marrow.
Should I be worried about low white blood cell count?
A low WBC count can be serious because it increases your risk of developing a potentially life-threatening infection. Seek prompt medical care if you have a low WBC count and have signs of an infection, such as a fever, swollen lymph nodes, sore throat, or skin lesions.
What happens if your white blood cells are low?
When your level of white blood cells is very low, you have a high risk of infection. This is known as neutropenia (pronounced new-troh-pee-nee-ah). Some drugs lower your white blood cell levels. So your white cell count will begin to fall after each treatment.
Why does the white blood cell count go down?
The white blood cell count usually goes down first. This is because these cells have the shortest life span in the blood. So if your bone marrow isn't making new ones, the numbers start to drop after a few days. Drugs such as hormone therapies and bisphosphonates are unlikely to affect your blood cells.
What happens after a blood transfusion?
They carry the oxygen around your body to other tissues and organs. After a transfusion, you will feel more energetic, less tired and less breathless. You might worry about getting an infection from a blood transfusion.
What is the name of the antibiotic that is given to people with low white blood count?
These are called prophylactic antibiotics. Prophylactic (pronounced prof-il-ak-tik) means preventative. If you think you have an infection. If you get an infection when your white blood count is likely to be low, you must contact your doctor urgently. You might need antibiotics straight away.
What growth factors are used in cancer treatment?
The growth factor used in cancer treatment is granulocyte colony stimulating factor (G-CSF). There are different types of G-CSF:
How long does it take for a white blood cell to go down?
For example, if you have treatment every 3 weeks, your lowest counts will be at about 7 to 14 days after your treatment. This is called the nadir (pronounced nah-deer). You might feel very tired.
Why are white blood cells important?
When the number of white cells in your blood is low, you are more likely to get infections. This is because there are fewer neutrophils to fight off bacteria and viruses.
What causes low neutrophils?
Several things related to cancer and its treatment can cause a low level of neutrophils, including: Cancers that affect the bone marrow directly, such as leukemia, lymphoma, and multiple myeloma. Radiation therapy to several parts of the body or to bones in the pelvis, legs, chest, or abdomen.
What is the term for a person with a low neutrophil count?
Neutropenia. Neutropenia is when a person has a low level of neutrophils. Neutrophils are a type of white blood cell. All white blood cells help the body fight infection. Neutrophils fight infection by destroying harmful bacteria and fungi (yeast) that invade the body.
Why do people with neutropenia have a higher risk of getting infections?
This is because they do not have enough neutrophils to kill organisms that cause infection. People with severe or long-lasting neutropenia are most likely to develop an infection.
How long does it take for neutrophils to drop after chemo?
Neutrophil counts generally start to drop about a week after each round of chemotherapy begins. Neutrophil levels reach a low point about 7 to 14 days after treatment. This is called the nadir. At this point, you are most likely to develop an infection.
How to tell if you have neutropenia?
Talk with your health care team right away if you have any of these signs of infection: A fever, which is a temperature of 100.5°F (38°C) or higher. Chills or sweating. Sore throat, sores in the mouth, or a toothache.
Can radiation therapy cause neutropenia?
Radiation therapy to several parts of the body or to bones in the pelvis, legs, chest, or abdomen. Some people with cancer are more likely to develop neutropenia, including: People with a lowered immune system from other causes, such as having HIV or an organ transplant.
What is the white count of a bone marrow?
Answer. White cells are the the cells that help fight off infection. A white count of 2600 (also referred to as 2.6) is indeed low, though not very low. Typically the white count should be above 4000 (also referred to as 4.0). Sometimes a bone marrow examination is performed to help figure out what's going on.
Can you get a low white count after a viral infection?
It is not unusual that after a viral infection (e.g. the flu) that the bone marrow temporarily slows down. As a consequence, you can get a low white count on that basis. It's also important to know how long you've had a low white count. It is not unusual for low white counts to be transient in nature, lasting typically a few weeks.
What happens when cancer cells break away?
When cells break away from a cancer tumor, they can move through the bloodstream or lymph vessels to other parts of the body. Cancer cells can settle in an organ far from where it started and start a new tumor. The original tumor that cells break away from is called the primary tumor.
What is it called when a tumor spreads to the bone?
Cancer that has started in one place can spread to and invade other parts of the body. This spread is called metastasis. If a tumor spreads to the bone, it's called bone metastasis. Cancer cells that have spread to the bone can damage the bone and cause symptoms. Different treatments can be used to control the symptoms and the spread ...
How do you know if you have metastasis?
If bone metastasis affects your bone marrow, you may have other symptoms that are caused by lower blood cell counts. Your red blood cell levels may drop, causing anemia. Signs of anemia are tiredness, weakness, and shortness of breath. If white blood cells are affected, you may get infections. Signs of infection include fevers, chills, fatigue, or pain. If your platelets are low, you may bruise or bleed very easily.
What is the term for a tumor that breaks away from the bone?
The new tumor that forms is called the secondary tumor. Secondary tumors in the bone are called bone metastases . Different types of cancer tend to spread to certain parts of the body. These cancers commonly spread to the bones:
How does a bone scan work?
In a bone scan, a mildly radioactive tracer is put into your blood through a vein. The tracer is attracted to diseased bone cells all over your body. This helps diseased bone show up more clearly on the scan.
Is pain a sign of bone metastasis?
Pain is the most common symptom of bone metastasis. It's often the first symptom you notice. At first, the pain may come and go. It's usually worse at night or with rest. Over time, the pain may become severe. Still, not all pain means metastasis. Your healthcare provider can help tell the difference between pain from metastasis and aches and pains from other causes.
Is bone cancer the same as cancer?
Bone metastases are not the same as cancer that starts in the bone. Cancer that starts in the bone is called primary bone cancer. There are different types of primary bone cancers, like osteosarcoma and Ewing sarcoma. A tumor that has metastasized to bone is not made of bone cells.