What are blood counts?
The normal WBC count is 4000 to 10,000. If your WBCs are below 1000, you may be more at risk for an infection. This is called neutropenia. There are several types of white blood cells. Each performs a different function. The neutrophils fight most common infections. Sometimes neutrophils are called “polys”, short for Polymorphonuclear leukocytes. Because neutrophils or polys are the most important cells for fighting infections, this portion of the white cell count is also monitored. This is called the absolute neutrophil count (ANC). Sometimes your doctor may order a growth factor called leukine(GM-CSF) or neupogen(G-CSF) to help your WBCs recover more rapidly. RBCs are measured by values called hemoglobin (Hgb) and hematocrit (Hct). The normal value for hemoglobin is 14.0 to 18.0; hematocrit 37 to 52. If your red blood cell count is low, you may feel more tired or short of breath than usual. This is called anemia. Your doctor may order a red blood cell transfusion for you, if your hem
