Let's Talk About Chemotherapy - Chemo and low white blood cells question???

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Chemo and low white blood cells question???

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Category: TNBC Forums
Forum Name: Let's Talk About Chemotherapy
Forum Description: A place to discuss Chemotherapy
URL: http://forum.tnbcfoundation.org/forum_posts.asp?TID=13402
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Topic: Chemo and low white blood cells question???

Posted By: Lisajo
Subject: Chemo and low white blood cells question???
Date Posted: Sep 05 2018 at 9:39am

My sister has Triple negative breast cancer and her white blood cells are at 2. Her Oncologist told her that they may have to stop chemo until it gets back up. How low does you count have to be before they stop the chemo?

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Sister of a Tripple Negative Fighter

Replies:

Posted By: Plume
Date Posted: Sep 05 2018 at 10:19am

Hi, I do not understand the number "2" in this context.

When I was on chemo, the number they paid the most attention to related to neutrophils. When mine was 435/mm3, they delayed the chemo for a week. The normal range is 1500 - 7500, anything below 1000 being considered dangerously low in the absence of other factors such as chemo dosage being too high, etc.

Sometimes, whilst the count is low, I would be invited to return the following day and have the blood test in the hospital. I was amazed that the neutrophil count could go up by thousands overnight!!!

I still have all my blood test results so if you want to come back with a bit more information, maybe I can help you with some explanations. In any event, I wish your sister good luck.

Posted By: Asovey
Date Posted: Sep 05 2018 at 1:45pm

If you get Nupogen injections they should not have to stop. At one time my WHC was at .7 - that is point 7. After the Nupogen (Granix) I was good to go. When I was doing A/C I had Nulasta each time. Once was supplemented with Nupogen. With Taxol/Carbo I had 3 injections, one a day, beginning 24 hours after infusion. I did have three transfusions and one platelet transfusion. Never missed an infusion appointment.

Posted By: Lisajo
Date Posted: Sep 05 2018 at 1:59pm

She is taking zarixo. She had her labs done today and she is a .7.

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Sister of a Tripple Negative Fighter

Posted By: 123Donna
Date Posted: Sep 06 2018 at 12:06pm

Plume,

I believe the number 2 would actually be 2,000. It's usually reported in the U.S. as mcL

This is the normal range from the Mayo Clinic Guidelines:

White blood cell count

3.5-10.5 billion cells/L
(3,500 to 10,500 cells/mcL)

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DX IDC TNBC 6/09 age 49, Stage 1,Grade 3, 1.5cm,0/5Nodes,KI-67 48%,BRCA-,6/09bi-mx, recon, T/C X4(9/09)
11/10 Recur IM node, Gem,Carb,Iniparib 12/10,MRI NED 2/11,IMRT Radsx40,CT NED11/13,MRI NED3/15

Posted By: Plume
Date Posted: Sep 06 2018 at 1:33pm

Thanks for explaining that to me, Donna. I am finding many differences in medical terms and so on. I think that us here, across Europe, have more standardised treatment and medication though even here, there are differences across countries and even hospitals.

Luckily, I have an excellent medical team here in South Western France to look after me. I do believe that were I still in the UK, the outlook for me might have been considerably less sunny.

Thank you for all the sterling information you have been providing for all of us here on the forum.