Traditional Chinese Medicine can help cancer chemotherapy patients stabilize their white blood cell counts, hemoglobin levels, and kidney function. A patient undergoing chemotherapy for bladder cancer, along with traditional Chinese medicine treatment, experienced improvements in white blood cell counts, hemoglobin levels, and kidney function after continued treatment with traditional Chinese medicine.
October 21, 2014
eGFR GFR: 86.6 (Improvement)
Hemoglobin: 11.7 (Improvement)
White blood cells: 6.26 K/uL (Improvement)
September 7, 2014
eGFR GFR: 84
Hemoglobin: 11
White blood cells: 6.26 K/uL
June 19, 2014
eGFR GFR: 71
Hemoglobin: 9.6
White blood cells: 6.22 K/uL
Low blood counts are a common side effect of cancer treatment, primarily occurring in patients who have received chemotherapy or radiation therapy. Treatment damages the bone marrow and reduces immune function, leading to a decrease in white blood cells, red blood cells, or platelets. Chemotherapy also suppresses bone marrow production, leading to a decrease in white blood cells and hemoglobin.
What is low blood count after chemotherapy?
1. Leukopenia: White blood cells protect against foreign pathogens. A decrease in white blood cell count can make the body more susceptible to infection and weaken the immune system.
A white blood cell (WBC) count below 4000/L on a blood test indicates a higher risk of infection and fever. Symptoms include sore throat or gums, pain and burning during urination or frequent urination, redness, swelling, heat, and pain in the skin (especially around wounds, catheters, or previous injections), and vaginal itching or unusual discharge.
2. Erythrocyte Decrease: The main component of red blood cells is hemoglobin, so a decrease in red blood cells leads to a decrease in hemoglobin. A blood test shows a hemoglobin (Hb) level below 13.5 g/dL for men and below 12 g/dL for women. Low hemoglobin can lead to irritability, fatigue, anemia, palpitations, dizziness, hair loss, and shortness of breath.
How does chemotherapy affect the body?
1. Bone marrow suppression:
While chemotherapy drugs kill cancer cells, they also inhibit the normal hematopoietic function of the bone marrow, affecting the production of white blood cells, red blood cells (hemoglobin), and platelets.
2. Leukopenia:
This primarily affects the body's immune system, making patients more susceptible to bacterial infections, especially during the "critical period" of approximately 7-10 days after chemotherapy.
3. Hemoglobin deficiency (anemia):
This affects the body's ability to carry oxygen, potentially causing symptoms such as dizziness, palpitations, and fatigue.
Why are cancer patients prone to anemia?
1. Cancer cells invading the bone marrow can cause abnormal hematopoietic function.
2. Ulcers and bleeding caused by the cancer itself deplete red blood cells.
3. Radiation therapy or chemotherapy.
Anemia is a common problem among cancer patients. Approximately 60% of patients with solid tumors such as lung cancer, gynecological and urological tumors, and lymphoma experience anemia. Among patients undergoing chemotherapy or radiation therapy for cancer, 70 to 90 percent experience anemia. Anemia can affect a patient's physiological functions, such as oxygen delivery and release, and cardiopulmonary function. Furthermore, anemia is significantly correlated with fatigue. Therefore, anemia during cancer treatment is receiving increasing attention, particularly regarding the impact of anemia correction on the effectiveness of cancer treatment and the quality of life of cancer patients.
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