Blood Tests ~ What are they all about

 

Frequent blood tests are necessary to monitor overall body health, and condition of the blood; especially when someone is receiving chemotherapy.

 

Blood is made up of plasma (fluid) which carries the cells around the body.

 

Listed below are some of the normal blood tests and their limits.

 

 

White Blood Cells

4,000 - 10,000 is the normal range

The white cells are made up of two main types called neutrophils and lymphocytes.

Their main job is to protect the body against infection.

 

 

Red Blood Cells

12 - 17 is the normal range.

Symptoms of anaemia start to appear if the count falls to 10 or below

Red blood cells carry haemoglobin which gives the blood its red colour.

Red cells have an average life of 120 days, during which time, they incur substantial damage, and are broken down and removed by the spleen.

 

 

Haemoglobin Concentration

Adult male        13.3 - 16.7

Adult Female      11.8 - 14.8

 

 

Absolute Neutrophil Count

Adult male        2,000 - 7,500

The risk of infection increases when neutrophil count can falls to around 1,000.

 

 

Platelets

Normal range is 200,000 - 450,000

If the level drops below 20,000 there is a risk of abnormal bleeding.

If the level drops below 10,000, doctors may recommend transfusions of the platelets to reduce the chances of haemorrhage.

In order to be discharged from hospital following a Stem Cell Transplant,

your platelets need to be at least 60,000

 

 

Blood Culture

Microbiologists check the blood for infection and this is called a blood culture. If infection is found, then the culture’s grown in the laboratory are treated with different kinds of antibiotics to see which is the most effective, before prescribing to the patient.

The blood may also be examined so that certain salts and chemicals in it can be measured, which gives information about kidney and liver function.

Blood samples may also be used to cross-match blood in case a transfusion is necessary during treatment

 

 

LDH Levels

Lactic Dehydrogenase (no, I can’t pronounce it either) or LDH is a protein which is a useful tumour marker, and can show if the cancer is reducing, spreading or dormant.

This something that your consultant will be aware of, and is not normally reported to patients, although it’s worth asking about, from time to time.

 

 

Stem Cells

Stem cells are blood cells at the earliest stage of development in the bone marrow. They develop red and white blood cells and platelets which help the blood to clot. They can be taken from the bone marrow or collected from the bloodstream.

 

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