High neutrophils in blood post breast cancer treatment: Normal?

Traci999--I think, from an earlier post of yours--that you've recently had bloodwork? And have seen or will see your oncologist? This its certainly a question for your doctor. Just to say I sympathize. I've got bloodwork tomorrow and will try hard to not drive myself crazy before I see the oncologist and get actual explanations for whatever that shows. "Normal" is kind of a sliding scale in my experience. Not everything that isn"t normal turns out to be worrisome. But I hope you get clarity on this soon.

How often do you have blood tests? Do you have an infection currently?

I have bloodwork every three months and no infection.

I actually saw the NP but she’s great. She doesn’t think it’s a big deal but I do. I’m contacting my PCP this week. He’s an internist and tries his best to find out what’s going on. I think a year is too long but then again I’m not a dr. Thanks for the reply.

@traci999, You will notice that we changed the title for your discussion to better describe your question and hopefully help other members with experience to find it.

Thank you

I am not dure what neutrophils even are, but, as a b.c.survivor, I can report on blood gone awry after a lumpectomy. My own blood work seemed fine until May 1, 2024, when I went in for a routine appointment prior to leaving Texas for Illinoi (we winter here). My oncologist told me that my LFTs (liver function tests) were elevated. While they were not supposed to be much higher than 25 (ALT) and 35 (AST) they were in the 70s. I was happy that, back in October, I had made an appointment with my Midwestern oncologist at the University of Iowa Hospitals and Clinics, because I was to see him on May 23, twenty-two days after I found out that these liver enzymes were escalated. It was very curious that they should be escalated, as they had been normal in March of 2024 and I had even gone in to volunteer for a non-alcoholic fatty liver disease clinical trial and they had tested me and said my liver was fine. Now, it is not fine. I have had blood draws (mainly GGT panels) on May 1, May 23, June 11, July 1, July 25, Aug. 13 and Aug. 30 and the numbers were doubling roughly every 2 weeks. The high point was June 11 when the numbers were 282 and 242. I could not get in to be seen by a liver specialist anywhere within driving distance of my Quad Cities home, including Des Moines (172 miles away), Iowa City, Peoria or anywhere, really, so I got on a plane and flew to Texas again and am being treated at the Texas Liver Institute. Nobody lnows what has happened to irritate and harm my liver, but being offered the closest U. of Iowa time of Nov. 22 was not going to do me much good. The earliest anyone would see me in the Midwest was October 8th, which also seems to be too long. I was seen here at the Texas Liver Institute on July 26th. I have learned that Nitrofurantoin is one drug your liver does not like at all, and I was given that to quell a UTI that Tamoxifen brought on near New Year's Eve. Nitrofurantoin has been known to "trigger" auto-immune hepatitis, but with the Anastrozole, Tamoxifen drugs that I took for a year (ending for good on Aug. 30, 2023) could that still be in my system? I have quit taking Atorvastatin and Meloxicam and when my fingernail got ripped off at the airport, I could not any over-the-counter pain medication or anything else. I wondered if anyone else has had elevated liver enzymes are a lumpectomy? It seems unlikely that drugs I took over a year ago are causing this anomaly.

@traci999, just following up on this. Did you get any guidance from your primary care physician?

I saw the NP oncologist and she wasn't too concerned. I have my mammogram and ultrasound next week with a new breast clinic. I see my PCP in October so i will ask him then. Thank you for the concern.