Low White Blood Cells

[StefHere]

Hiya, my dad is in his second cycle of oral chemo. His WBC has really dropped alot to 2.66. Do you have any suggestions as to what we can do to increase the WBC? What should be in the diet in order to raise this level? I shall be glad to have your opinions and any suggestions please.

[lankisterguy]

You really should be talking to his doctor and not trying to raise his WBC without the doctor's guidance- you could be working counter to the doctor & chemo.

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You should not be following the WBC but be looking at the CBC + diff results and then track his Absolute Neutrophil Count or Neut#, if the WBC goes low but the ANC/Neut# is 1 or more his doctor will probably not be concerned. That means the cancer cells are being killed by the chemo- the desired effect.

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If the ANC/Neut# goes below 0.5 then his doctor will likely prescribe an injection of Neupogen/Neulasta drugs.com/compare/neulasta-...

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Len

[StefHere in reply to lankisterguy]

Thank you so much for your kind and informative helpful reply, Im most grateful for this, thank you

[Searchingforrainbows]

Hi from what we know the wbc in leukaemia needs to be low as these are the cancer cells, the lower the better, once these start going up then you should be concerned, my mother has a wbc of 121 (thousands) and absolutely no neutrophils, so no immune system, its being re-classified as bone marrow failure, once the bone marrow is full of these immature blasts (wbc) they spill over into the blood stream filling the body with cells that cannot do their job crowding out the red cells (haemoglobin) which carry oxygen and platelets that helps the blood to clot. So you want to avoid infections that quickly spread into the blood system causing sepsis due to no immune system, bumps which lead to bruising due to low platelets, and shortness of breath from the lack of rbc

[StefHere in reply to Searchingforrainbows]

thank you so much for this, the doctor did prescribe granocyte injection do you know about this at all?

[Searchingforrainbows in reply to StefHere]

I don't know anything about those injectables sorry,y mother is on an oral chemo called Hydroxycarbamide

[2003UK Champion]

Hi, sorry that is too medical for me, but no matter what the circumstances I believe in a normal, healthy, balanced diet, but also treat yourselves occasionally. Take care.

[StefHere in reply to 2003UK]

Thank you

[Frank_C]

Hi Stef, looks like you have had several elements of feedback.

Several questions if I may:

(1) What type of leukemia does you father have?

(2) What oral protocol is he taking? FCR?

(3) What has triggered the concern with the WBC count?

[StefHere in reply to Frank_C]

Hi Frank thanks for your message. My dad has been diagnosed with bpdcn. That is blastic plasmasitoid dentric cell neoplasm. He is taking etoposide one dad and cyclophosphamide then the next day, oral chemo pills. We are in second cycle of chemo. He has fatigue. I hope this clarifies your questions?

[Frank_C]

etronpenicHi Stef, thanks for that.

I dont feel qualified to comment as my disease is CLL (Chronic lymphocytic leukemia).

What I can say is that I had five rounds of chemo and was given the all clear (as far as possible) by cancer UK in July 2017 - but since then I have been dealing with the aftermaths of the chemo, i.e. low counts as the bone marrow recovers - I am living with a WBC count of around 1.5-2.0.

For me it is not the WBC count that is the issue, it is the Neutrophil count. If this goes below 1.0 you are regarded as Neutropenic and below 0.5 extremely Neutropenic. Neithwr is a good place to be as regards infection and food related issues.

So, two things to check out:

(1) GCSF (Granolcyte) injections I take this once per week and it keeps me out of the Neutropenic zone and has positively changed my life - it pushes my Neuts to around 1.2 and my WBC to about 2.0+ - so in safe zone

(2) Regards diet, I would check with your consultant, but if you dad is experiencing food related issues check out the enclosed, may be useful

leukaemiacare.org.uk/suppor...

Cheers - regards Frank

[StefHere in reply to Frank_C]

Thank you so much for your kind and informative reply. I am most grateful. Thanks alot, Cheers

[Lola69]

There is really nothing u can do to raise them.

In 2015 mine were at 1.