Hi everybody, Just got some labs back: oncologist is pleased, WBC is good, RBC is good, HGB is good, ANC is good ... but my “LY#” (and %) is low. The doctor didn’t care, but he also didn’t explain what it meant to me. Anyone know?
(PS: before the labs, I ramped-up Venetoclax to 50mg today, & got 1000 of Obinutuzumab)
That would be the venetoclax working, I believe!
When I was treated with Gazyva it knocked my #lymph below range, where it has bounced around ever since. When I expressed concern my doctor reminded me that the purpose of the Gazyva is to lower the lymphocyte count. I agree with Kim that it most probably means your treatment is working. I think that your doctor would have said something if there was a problem. I think that even the most caring doctors sometimes forget that something that is everyday for them, like lowered lymphs, isn't for us, so they don't comment.
I guess I don’t know how WBC & ANC differ from LY?
White Blood Cell count (WBC) is the total count of all white blood cell types. The '#' means the absolute count and the '%' the percentage.
Your WBC is comprised of Neutrophils (Neut or Segs), Lymphocytes (LYM), Eosinophils, Monocytes and Basophils.
Neil
What is the difference between “automated” Neutrophils,lymph, basophils and “absolute” and “unv” My numbers look sort of similar to the above lab report, but I am so confused as to what numbers are considered good. I am unmutated and with prior thyroid cancer and radiation I can’t participate in trials.
This template spreadsheet include's reference ranges for common blood tests: cllsociety.org/toolbox/keep...
Testing is nearly always automated unless a manual count is specifically requested or there is some good reason to do a manual count.
Absolute is the actual number counted. I don't know what "unv" means. I suspect it may mean unvalidated. Preliminary blood counts can be given to medical staff when it it is very important to provide timely results. As I understand it, when the results are validated, there can be a slight adjustment in the final counts.
Neil
Neil makes sense re "unvalidated" because I travel a great distance to get to doc I always ask for copies of tests before I leave then get email updates. Now I have to go back and check them all against the results paper I was given! Thanks !!
how low is low?
.7 (1.2 = lowest average)
Down from 72. 72 to .7! I definitely credit (blame?) the Obinutuzumab/Venetoclax.
I went back to look at my #lymph during and since treatment (finished 7/15). It went as low as .4 right after treatment, was as high as 2.0 a few months ago, but usually is somewhere between .7 and .88. It was during treatment that I finally processed the percent thing. If one percent goes up, another must go down to balance things to 100%. As my lymph. count bounced, so did my neutrophils, etc. The absolute count was / is what indicates what my CLL is actually doing.
I highly recommend the videos done by Dr. Susan LeClair about understanding your blood work. You can find her on patientpower.info and on You Tube. I have rewatched them several times, as I just am not scientifically oriented.
Congratulations!!! I'm on Venteclax also and my WBC is down to 7,000 after only 3 months. 😁 I haven't seen a number that low for me in over 3 years! It is amazing how these new drugs for CLL work so quickly.
DRM18,
Your lymphocyte response is typical for Obinutuzumab and Venetoclax, and it will probably remain low for a period of time even after treatment, as this is where the drug mechanism is active.
Cancerous B cells are lymphocytes, however, the drugs also affect a number of healthy cells. The measures are subject to more sporadic activity in the beginning with large numbers of cancer cells targeted for apoptosis. They become more consistent as the cancer cells are cleared out and being replaced by healthy cell populations and target cell numbers become less.
JM
Low WBC on Venetoclax but feeling ok
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