Abbreviations

[Guest guest]

This is a handout that the Rocky Mountain Cancer Center gives to its

patients.

Becky

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A Chemotherapy Patient's Guide to

CBC'S (Complete Blood Count and Differential)

Chemotherapy works by killing dividing cells and cells that are

replaced regularly by the body. In most cases these are the cancer

cells, but chemotherapy can kill healthy cells too. Some of the

healthy cells that chemotherapy can affect are the blood cells.

CBC's monitor how the chemotherapy is affecting your blood cells.

Please note: Ranges of lab normals vary from lab to lab and from

male to female.

CBC Abbreviations:

WBC - Total white blood cell count

LY - % of lymphocytes

MO - % of monocytes

NE - % of granulocytes

LY # - Absolute number of lymphocytes, i.e. % of lymphocytes X total

WBC count = number of lymphocytes.

NE # - Absolute number of granulocytes, also called segs or

neutophils. i.e. % of granulocytes X total WBC count = number of

granulocytes.

RBC - number of red blood cells in each micro liter of blood.

Hgb - amount of hemoglobin in blood. This is the oxygen-carrying

protein in red blood cells.

Hct - hematocrit is the % of red blood cell volume compared to total

blood volume. Total blood volume is red cells and plasma.

MCV - Mean cell (red blood cell) volume. i.e. How big or small are

the red cells; different types of anemia result in larger or smaller

red cells.

MCH, MCHC - Refers to hemoglobin concentration in red cells. This

will be low in iron deficiency.

RDW - Refers to variation in red blood cell size, anything

(chemotherapy) that affects red blood cell production can affect the

size of red cells.

PLT - Total number of platelets; tiny cells important for clotting.

MPV - Mean platelet volume. Only important in ITP, an auto immune

disorder affecting platelets.

The WBC, absolute number of granulocytes, Hgb, Hct, and PLT count

are the most significant markers of how chemotherapy is affecting

your body and its ability to resist infection, maintain energy

levels and protect against bleeding.

The following lab values are relevant in iron defiency anemia.

MCV - Mean corpuscular value.

MCH - Mean corpuscular hemoglobin.

MCHC - Mean corpuscular hemoglobin concentration.

RDW - Red cell distribution width.