ALC COUNT?

[laldoroty]

I'm really new and very confused. I just had a CBC done in the USA and i am from Canada. When you to a blood test in Canada the always tell you your ALC. The blood test I just to showed a WBC of 42.7 and a Lymphocyte % of 69. Does this mean my ALC is 29.5? If so my ALC has quadrupled in 8 months. It was 7.8 in April,15.2 in September, 19 in October and now this.

[cllady01 Former Volunteer]

The following discussion can help you put that rise in perspective, esp. read lankisterguy reply.

healthunlocked.com/cllsuppo...

[cllady01 Former Volunteer]

lalldoroty, I also want to say, I reread your first post and replies were in regard to VA and military service. You may have been asking for any and all pointers as a newby with CLL.

If you will lock you post, you will get more info, as people do not like to have their information on the internet. Locking keeps it here. "v" below posting, edit, "to this community" .

[Hidden]

what was your wbc last time? that would most likely have increased greatly also

[laldoroty]

WBC in April was 7.4, 16.5 in Sept., 27 in Oct., and 42.7 now

[Hidden in reply to laldoroty]

then i agree with your original post.

[AussieNeil Partner Administrator]

Sometimes blood tests are provided with just the percentage white blood cell differentials. When this happens, you need to multiply the WBC by the %Lymphocytes to get the ALC - so congratulations on working out what some find difficult.

CLL specialists don't tend to get too interested in fast doubling times until the ALC exceeds 30. Below 30 it can bounce around a fair bit too. So now that your ALC is above 30 and presumably still climbing quickly, your specialist should be monitoring you closely for other signs that you are approaching the need for treatment and probably asking you to have more frequent blood tests. If you are otherwise well, they may wait to see if your ALC stabilises - it's one of the possible patterns. The highest ALC I've heard of in CLL was 1,400 and we have members still in watch and wait with counts above 400. CLL cells are small - a tiny bit bigger than red blood cells and it is very rare for a highly elevated ALC to cause health problems.

Neil

[AdrianUK]

Hi

The calculation is 42.7 * 0.69 = 29.256

So you are still not over 30.

Below 30 the count can double then half then double again.

They will now start looking at your count and seeing what happens to it.

If and when it gets to 60 then you’ll know what your true doubling time appears to be tho then you’d still need to watch and see if it was consistently going up.

Do you have symptoms?

Any lymph nodes growing fast?

Are your other blood counts ok?

As worrying as it may sound, you will hopefully be just fine. And if you do for some reason continue to see growth and ultimately need treatment the treatments work really well anyway.

[Shaheenji]

Laldoroty the white cells in mammal keep playing as they have to perform so many duties assigned by defence/immune systems of the body. We all face such things .My total was 6400 wbc in November and now.at the end of December 20,100.so no worries this is for our cll/ oncology specialists to think accordingly. Don't worry at all and strictly follow their advices, n ejoy the game played by white Cells inside our bloodstream. Wish you best of luck n I pray for all ailing humans best of everything n good health God bless you

Amen

[pekaspi]

Here's a free online calculator >>> omnicalculator.com/health/l...

[laldoroty in reply to pekaspi]

Thanks

[Big_Dee]

Hello laldoroty

I understand your concern, relax. Everyone is different. My WBC was doubling every 2.5 months, jumped 52K in one month and I am still here. You may only get to treatment sooner, but long ways from being done. Blessings.

[laldoroty]

Thank you for you thoughts

Leo