What are the complications of low blood cell counts?

Low blood cell counts may delay your next round of treatment or lead your doctor to reduce medication dosage or prescribe a new medication. Monitoring your blood cell counts allows your doctor to prevent or reduce your risk of complications.

The most serious complications of low blood cell counts include:

• Infection. With a low white blood cell count and, in particular, a low level of neutrophils, you're at higher risk of developing an infection. And if you develop an infection when you have a low white blood cell count, your body can't protect itself. Infection can lead to death in severe cases.

  Even a mild infection can delay your chemotherapy treatment, since your doctor may wait until your infection is cleared and your blood cell counts go back up before you continue. Your doctor may also recommend medication to increase your body's production of white blood cells.

• Anemia. A low red blood cell count is anemia. The most common symptoms of anemia are fatigue and shortness of breath. In some cases, fatigue becomes so severe that you must temporarily halt your cancer treatment or reduce the dose you receive. While mild anemia is common and often does not cause fatigue, tell your doctor if you are having these symptoms to see if anemia is a possible cause.

  Anemia can be relieved with a blood transfusion or with medication to increase your body's production of red blood cells.

• Bleeding. Low numbers of platelets in your blood can cause bleeding. You might bleed excessively from a small cut or bleed spontaneously from your nose or gums. Rarely, dangerous internal bleeding can occur.

  A low platelet count can delay your treatment. You may have to wait until your platelet levels go up in order to continue with chemotherapy or to have surgery. A low platelet count can also be treated with a platelet transfusion.