Knowra Myelosuppression Myelosuppression Myelosuppression is reduced production of blood cells by the bone marrow. It can lower red cells, white cells, platelets, or all three, and may result from cancer treatment, disease, or toxins.
Hematopoiesis : The formation of blood cells from hematopoietic stem and progenitor cells, chiefly in bone marrow. Myelosuppression disrupts this process at the level of blood-cell production.
Chemotherapy-induced myelosuppression : Suppression of blood-cell production caused by cytotoxic cancer medicines. Chemotherapy commonly injures rapidly dividing marrow precursors, often producing predictable count nadirs.
Complete blood count : A blood test measuring red cells, white cells, hemoglobin, hematocrit, and platelets. Serial counts reveal which cell lines are falling during suspected myelosuppression.
Myelotoxicity : Toxic injury to bone marrow or its blood-forming cells. It names the damaging process that can produce myelosuppression, rather than the reduced output itself.
Neutropenia : An abnormally low number of neutrophils, a white blood cell type that helps defend against infection. Reduced neutrophil production makes this a common and infection-prone form of myelosuppression.
Radiation-induced myelosuppression : Reduced blood-cell production caused by radiation exposure or radiotherapy involving marrow. Radiation can damage marrow directly, especially when large marrow-bearing regions are exposed.
Absolute neutrophil count : An estimate of the number of neutrophils in a volume of blood. This count guides infection-risk assessment and many treatment decisions.
Hemolysis : Premature destruction of red blood cells within the body. It can cause anemia through cell loss despite adequate marrow production.
Anemia : A condition in which the blood has too little hemoglobin or too few healthy red blood cells. Suppressed red-cell production can cause anemia, fatigue, and reduced oxygen delivery.
Aplastic anemia : A rare bone-marrow failure disorder in which blood-cell production is severely reduced. This illustrates profound marrow failure that may arise without chemotherapy.
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