Interpreting lab results on Ibrutinib

[kathymac52]

What does it mean if you have been on Ibrutinib for 4 weeks, and your white blood count has gone up to 21,000 and lymphocytes are at 18.2!!! (Neutrophils are a bit better at 2.1 after being severely neutrophenic for 4 months.) Is this a good sign? Just worried that those pesky lymphocytes are still crowding the bone marrow.

[cllady01 Former Volunteer]

The following site will answer your question. Dr. Koffman's CLL Society:

cllsociety.org/2016/06/top-...

[kathymac52 in reply to cllady01]

Thank you! Excellent article, which answered 15 very good questions.

[Cllcanada Top Poster CURE Hero]

There is a rise in absolute lymphocyte count [ALC] in the first 3 months or so, as the nodes and spleen, get cleared...

Simply means the Imbruvica (ibrutinib) is working... eventally the counts will fall, and finally come into range, but it can take a year...

~chris

[kathymac52 in reply to Cllcanada]

Thank you so much.....this is for my husband, and we know we must be patient. You are very reassuring, and I am grateful.