Radiation and Blood Cells

Posted by heavyphil @heavyphil, Apr 11 5:20pm

In addition to my full metabolic panel, I just received results of my Red and White blood cell counts. Without getting too far into the weeds with all the different numbers, let me just say that my 25 sessions of IMRT had a huge impact on my WBC’s; all components (lymphocytes, eosinophils, etc) dipped BELOW normal levels and gave me a bit of deja vu like when I first read my prostate biopsy results - whoa!!
I immediately hit the proverbial books and found studies from the NIH regarding prostate radiation. It’s almost a given that your WBC’s will be lowered to a significant degree and even after 6 months may only return to 50% of baseline.
Will discuss what all this means with my PCP next week; but I am pretty sure I’ll be rolling up my sleeve a lot more from now on when flu season is upon us….Man, I hate getting old, but it sure beats the alternative!
Phil

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heavyphil | @heavyphil | Apr 11 5:26pm

Also, a good friend had Cyberknife for his primary treatment and had NO drop in his white blood cell components.
Salvage radiation hits a much, much larger area and would have a greater effect since the beams are passing thru vertebrae, lower ribs and pelvic bones - all that marrow zapped!

hans_casteels | @hanscasteels | Apr 11 6:27pm

scheisse

heavyphil | @heavyphil | Apr 12 8:36am

In reply to @hanscasteels "scheisse" + (show)

Indeed

bens1 | @bens1 | Apr 13 8:39am

My absolute eosinophils and monocytes have been out of range the last 4 or 5 blood tests but red and white blood cells have been within range. My GP suggested it might be because of radiation. My radiation oncologist does not believe that is the case and she is a researcher at heart. I have had inflammation for other injuries so I am not sure if I will ever get to the correct answer.

heavyphil | @heavyphil | Apr 13 10:37am

In reply to @bens1 "My absolute eosinophils and monocytes have been out of range the last 4 or 5 blood..." + (show)

I would tend to agree with your GP, Ben. Numerous studies have shown this to be true, so why she doubts it is puzzling.
My numbers have never, ever looked like this and the only event that could possibly cause it is radiation..,.or maybe leukemia, in which case I’m doubly screwed…
Phil

bens1 | @bens1 | Apr 13 12:19pm

In reply to @heavyphil "I would tend to agree with your GP, Ben. Numerous studies have shown this to be..." + (show)

@heavyphil

Well, I suppose if you’re going to hope for something it would be the former and not the latter.

slick64 | @slick64 | Apr 14 8:09am

What a journey having PC is. Thanks to this site, because as I move forward from treatment, will be 2yrs in May and doing well. Everyday, I look over the comments and find more things in common, and yet we are never told about.
Last fall, carpel tunnel popped up in both my wrists and while trying to have my PCP diagnose what was going on, I was looking over my last blood test results (other than psa and testosterone) and noticed the same thing most if not all my blood work numbers were off and most below normal. I asked and was told one issue at a time. So that explains why my numbers are off. Live and learn. Stay strong brothers.