Blood Counts - WBC okay?

[MrsBerri]

I have been on Besremi 350 mg since the beginning 2023. My numbers are very favorable. I noticed that my WBC has been dropping as well as my platelets. No worries about the Platelets but should I have any concerns about my WBC?

[hunter5582]

It is pretty common to experience leukopenia when on Besremi or other cytoreductive medications. All blood cell lines can be suppressed. Interpreting the WBC number requires a bit of nuance in that not all WBCs are the same. They have different jobs. The two that matter the most per my MPN are team are Neutrophils (antibacterial) and Lymphocytes (antiviral). The targets set by my team are NEUT > 1.0 and LYMPH > 0.50. While these numbers are below the standard reference range, they are high enough for the body to respond to an infection.

Suggest you review the acceptable levels for WBCs with your treatment team. There is no reason to worry if your WBCs are a bit low provided they are in an acceptable range.

All the best moving forward.

[GardNerd]

My WBC count tends to run a little low — average of about 3.0 over time. It’s staying stable around that level, and my doctor hasn’t expressed concern. My platelets got below 100 at one point, and that’s when he started to lower my dose of Besremi from a high of 500 to the current level of 250. Good luck!

[ainslie]

I think most haems would be happy with those counts that you posted, the general rule is keep the neuts above 1 but best discuss with your doc