How to Prevent a Low White Count During Chemotherapy

White blood cell counts often drop in patients who are undergoing chemotherapy. Chemotherapy targets white blood cells right along with the cancer or tumor cells. Once a white blood cell count starts to drop, a patient becomes more susceptible to bacteria, viruses, and infections because white blood cells are the body's protectors against illness. Trying to prevent a low white blood cell count is very important if you are a patient who is undergoing chemotherapy.

Instructions

• 1

  Understand your doctor will likely prescribe a white blood cell booster, which increases white blood cell production, if you are at risk of developing a very low white blood cell count. Some loss of white blood cells is to be expected during chemotherapy, but you still need to retain a number of cells to help fight off bacteria and infections. White blood cells boosters are called CSF, or colony stimulating factor, and they may be prescribed as soon as you start chemotherapy.

• 2

  Understand that in order to decrease your risk of developing a dangerously low white blood cell count, your doctor may lower your dose of chemotherapy. If you're already at risk for developing a low white blood cell count, your doctor may consider delaying chemotherapy until the risk factors are dealt with or your white blood cell count is back to normal. This will help prevent a dangerously low white blood cell count from developing during chemotherapy treatments.

• 3

  Know that your doctor will carefully monitor your white blood cell count while you're undergoing chemotherapy treatment. If your white blood cell count becomes too low, you'll no longer be able to fight off any infection in your body. Therefore, you'll be consistently monitored, so your doctor can intervene with either medication or by lowering your chemotherapy dose as soon as you're at risk of developing a dangerously low white blood cell count.