Low White Blood Cell Count

White blood cells are produced by your bone marrow to help your body fight infection. If you have fewer than normal white blood cells, you have a higher risk of getting an infection.

Breast cancer treatments that can lower your white blood cell count:

• chemotherapy
• radiation therapy
• targeted therapies
  • Herceptin (chemical name: trastuzumab)
  • Tykerb (chemical name: lapatanib)
  • Avastin (chemical name: bevacizumab)

If you get an infection because you have a low white blood cell count, your symptoms may include:

• fever (call your doctor immediately if your fever is higher than 101.5 degrees F)
• chills
• sore throat or cough
• shortness of breath
• diarrhea
• nasal congestion
• vaginal discharge, itching, or burning during urination
• an injury site becomes red, swollen, or warm

Boosting your white blood cell count

If you have a low white blood cell count, your doctor can prescribe medicines to help stimulate your immune system after each round of chemotherapy. Your doctor also may decide to stop your chemotherapy treatment for a little while so your body can recover and make more white blood cells.

Things to consider if you have a low white blood cell count

If you have a low white blood cell count, consider taking the following steps to avoid infection:

• Avoid large crowds of people during the cold and flu season. Germs can spread easily through coughing and sneezing.
• Wash your hands frequently and have the people you spend time with do the same.
• Prevent cuts and scrapes. Wear gloves when gardening, take care when clipping finger/toe nails, and use caution when handling knives and scissors.
• Don’t pick at scabs or pimples -- they can become infected if the wound is opened.
• Don't have dental work while your white blood cell count is low; cuts in your mouth might lead to infection.
• Eat a healthy diet to get the vitamins and nutrients you need to fight infection. Make sure you rinse fruits and vegetables thoroughly to remove any bacteria.