When is wbc too low for chemo

If you have fewer than normal white blood cells, you have a higher risk of getting an infection. When you have a low white blood cell count, your immune system isn't working as well as it should. Doctors call this "immunocompromised.

If you get an infection because you have a low white blood cell count, your symptoms may include:. If you have a low white blood cell count, your doctor can prescribe medicines to help stimulate your immune system after each round of chemotherapy. How Low Is Too Low? Prevent infections by taking the following measures: Be careful with pets and other animals to avoid catching infections from them.

Practice safe eating and drinking habits. Wash your hands often with soap and water. Stay away from people who have symptoms of an infection.

Avoid traveling and crowded public places. When to Call the Doctor. If you have any of the following symptoms, call your health care provider: Fevers, chills, or sweats. These may be signs of infection. Diarrhea that does not go away or is bloody. Severe nausea and vomiting. Being unable to eat or drink. Extreme weakness. The blood. In: Netter's Essential Physiology.

Accessed Dec. Giridhar KV expert opinion. Mayo Clinic. See also Adjuvant therapy for cancer After a flood, are food and medicines safe to use?

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Advertising Mayo Clinic is a nonprofit organization and proceeds from Web advertising help support our mission. Advertising and sponsorship policy Advertising and sponsorship opportunities. Reprint Permissions A single copy of these materials may be reprinted for noncommercial personal use only. Fever higher than Fatigue Chest pain Dizziness Shortness of breath. You might hear your doctor or nurse talk about your absolute neutrophil count or ANC. This is the number of neutrophils you have in a certain amount of blood.

Your health care team will use your ANC to get an idea of how well your immune system might work during treatment. A blood test called a complete blood count CBC is used to see how well your immune system is working. Your cancer care team will use your ANC to get an idea of how your immune system is affected by treatment and how well it is working to protect you from infection. As the ANC gets lower, the usual signs of infection, such as fever, pus, pain, swelling, and redness, may not show up when an infection starts.

This can make it hard to know if you have an infection.