Managing a Low White Blood Cell Count

Chemotherapy is usually given in cycles, with periods of rest that give your body time to regain strength and replace healthy cells lost during treatment. However, neutropenia, a low number of certain white blood cells, is a common chemotherapy side effect of certain types of chemotherapy that can disrupt your chemo schedule.

A low white blood cell count means your immune system isn't as strong as it could be and that you are at increased risk for infection. The fewer white blood cells you have and the longer you remain without enough, the more at risk you become for developing a potentially life-threatening infection.

As a result, your doctor may need to delay cancer treatment or reduce your chemotherapy dose until your low white blood cell count increases and the possibility of infection is reduced. If you are neutropenic and you develop a fever or get an infection, you may need to be hospitalized until your infection is cured and your number of white blood cells returns to levels high enough to fight infections in the future. The good news is your doctor can help lower your risk of infection.

To understand whether you may have an infection, click here.

Important product safety information
Ruptured spleen (including fatal cases) and a serious lung problem called acute respiratory distress syndrome have been reported. Call your doctor or seek emergency care right away if you have abdominal or shoulder tip pain, shortness of breath, trouble breathing, or a fast rate of breathing. In rare cases, serious allergic reactions can occur, causing shortness of breath, wheezing, dizziness, swelling around the mouth or eyes, fast pulse, sweating, and hives. Sometimes these symptoms could come back within days after stopping treatment for the allergic reaction. If you start to have any of these symptoms, call your doctor or seek emergency care right away. Sickle cell crises have also been reported.

In a clinical study, mild to moderate bone pain occurred in 31% of the patients taking Neulasta^® and in 26% of the patients taking a placebo injection. In most cases, bone pain was controlled with a non-narcotic pain reliever, such as acetaminophen. Other common side effects reported by patients in the study taking either Neulasta^® or placebo were consistent with the underlying cancer diagnosis and its treatment with chemotherapy, with the exception of bone pain.

If you have any questions about this information, be sure to discuss them with your doctor. You are encouraged to report negative side effects of prescription drugs to the FDA. Visit www.fda.gov/medwatch or call 1-800-FDA-1088.