White blood cells are part of your body's immune system defenses against infection and cancer. Your body has several types of white blood cells. White blood cells are made in your bone marrow.
What is a low white blood cell count?
A low white blood cell count is an unusually low number of one or more kinds of white blood cells.
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A low white blood cell count puts you at increased risk of infection
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Some infections can be life-threatening
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A low white blood cell count is often a side effect of drugs, particularly chemotherapy drugs
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Sometimes a low white blood cell count is caused by an infection or cancer
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Doctors may do blood tests and bone marrow tests to see why your white blood cell count is low
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Doctors may give you medicine to increase your white blood cells and antibiotics if you have a fever or other signs of infection
What causes a low white blood cell count?
There are many causes of a low white blood cell count:
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Drugs: Many drugs, but particularly chemotherapy drugs
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Metastatic cancer in the bone marrow, such as from breast cancer or prostate cancer
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Other bone marrow problems, such as myelodysplastic disorders
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Radiation therapy that involves the bone marrow
What are the symptoms of a low white blood cell count?
How can doctors tell if my white blood cell count is low?
Doctors can tell you have a low white blood cell count by doing a routine complete blood count (CBC). If you're getting treatments or have a disease that can lower your white blood cell count, doctors check your CBC often.
Sometimes, the cause is obvious, such as if you’re getting chemotherapy or radiation therapy for cancer.
If the cause isn't clear, doctors may do:
