Hematocrit (HCT) – Blood Test Given During Breast Cancer Treatment
Definition: noun Hematocrit (HCT) is a routine blood test given during treatment for breast cancer to determine what percentage of your blood volume is made of red blood cells. HCT is one of the numbers you will see on your complete blood count (CBC) report. If your HCT numbers are not in a normal range, your treatment may be withheld or delayed until those numbers are better. Low hematocrit may indicate that you are anemic, have had destruction of blood cells, are suffering from malnutrition, iron, b12 or folate deficiency, or bone marrow dysfunction. This can be treated by injections such as Procrit or by transfusion. If the low HCT is caused by deficiencies of iron or folate, then supplements may be given. High hematocrit can signal dehydration or over production of red blood cells. Treatments are available to help you recover normal HCT levels.
