Common "Bone Marrow Suppression" queries answered by top doctors | iCliniq

Bone Marrow Suppression

Bone marrow suppression is otherwise called myelosuppression. There is reduced bone marrow activity causing reduced production of blood cells. It commonly occurs due to a side effect of chemotherapy. The symptoms of bone marrow suppression are fatigue, pale skin, lips, increased heart rate, and shortness of breath. Stopping chemotherapy helps to increase the production of blood cells in the bone marrow. If bone marrow suppression occurs due to bone marrow failure, then transfusion or transplant is done to increase the production of blood cells.

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My husband has low hemoglobin levels. Please help.

Query: Hello doctor, My husband's hemoglobin is 3.7 g/dL, but the hemoglobin level was 5 g/dL when we checked it two days back. His RBC and WBC are also going down. What can be the reason?  Read Full »


Dr. Goswami Parth Rajendragiri

Answer: Hi, Welcome to icliniq.com. Your husband's hemoglobin and WBC count are going down very fast, it is not normal. For such low hemoglobin levels, blood transfusion is needed immediately. A peripheral smear examination should be done, to look for schistocytes like fragmented RBC and normoblast count...  Read Full »

My CBC showed low WBC count. Please advise.

Query: Hello doctor, I am a 41-year-old, healthy female, average height and weight. I recently had a CBC which was concerning to me. The WBC count was slightly low at 3.78 (reference range starts at 4.16) and the ANC was 1.08 x 103/uL. All the rest of the CBC was entirely normal. No immature granulocytes, ...  Read Full »


Dr. Goswami Parth Rajendragiri

Answer: Hi, Welcome to the icliniq.com. I have seen your attached report here (attachment removed to protect patient identity). It is not suggestive of any cancer. Your Hb (hemoglobin), HCT (hematocrit), RBC (red blood cells) and platelet count all within range. You had mentioned the history of flu which ...  Read Full »

Please suggest ways to improve WBC count after chemotherapy.

Query: Hi doctor,I am a 23-year-old male. I am suffering from acute lymphoblastic lymphoma and I am going to finish my last chemotherapy. My WBC count has reduced due to the discontinuation of GCSF. After the completion of the chemotherapy session, how to recover WBC count? Please suggest me.  Read Full »


Dr. Prakash. H. M.

Answer: Hi,Welcome to icliniq.com.GCSF (granulocyte-colony stimulating factor) is given for immediate recovery followed by chemotherapy as chemotherapy causes excessive suppression of the bone marrow.The body has its own mechanism to produce GCSF and it will take usually a few weeks to start producing and r...  Read Full »

My 8-year-old son is diagnosed with a low platelet count. What to do?

Query: Hello doctor,My 8-year-old son was diagnosed with a possible bone marrow failure during monitoring for low platelets when he was 3 years old. His biopsy showed areas of 20 % cellularity. Last year his counts were WBC 13.8, RBC 4.83, hemoglobin 13.5 g/dL, hematocrit 39.3, MCV 81.3, MCH 27.9, MCHC 34....  Read Full »


Dr. Goswami Parth Rajendragiri

Answer: Hi, Welcome to icliniq.com. You had mentioned the history of bone marrow failure at three years of age, but the cause and workup done at that time are not mentioned here. Temporary viral infection like parvovirus can lead to temporary bone marrow suppression. In a child, if platelet count remains...  Read Full »

Can abdominal pain and weight loss be due to ovarian cancer?

Query: Hello doctor, I have abdominal pain, fullness, nausea, weight loss, leg edema. I would like a second opinion and another interpretation of my scans, please. In February, I started having bad abdominal fullness, nausea, vomiting, anemia, and weight loss for a few weeks. Then I felt a little better ...  Read Full »


Dr. Ismail Mikdat Kabakus

Answer: Hi, Welcome to icliniq.com. Thank you very much for providing detailed history and uploading all the blood tests (attachment removed to protect patient identity). Blood tests give us many clues. You definitely have less red blood cells than expected but also you have low white blood cell count. ...  Read Full »

Can multiple myeloma be diagnosed only by doing blood tests and X-rays?

Query: Hi doctor, I am a 63 year old male. I have been recently diagnosed with multiple myeloma. My doctor, who is listed as a hematologist or oncologist, said that I must undergo chemotherapy asap. His diagnosis was based solely on bloodwork and a full skeletal x-ray. There was no MRI or PET scan or bone ...  Read Full »


Dr. Sagar Ramesh Makode

Answer: Hi, Welcome to icliniq.com. Blood tests can provide compelling indications of myeloma; however, a marrow biopsy remains essential for confirmation. While a diagnosis can be reasonably presumed, it's imperative to undergo a bone marrow biopsy prior to commencing treatment. If visible on an X-ray, bo...  Read Full »

Why does my 16-month-old baby get pale?

Query: Hello doctor, My boy baby is 16-months-old. I just want to know why my baby gets pale and has anemia and whether his current blood work is better. He has IgE mediated allergies, FPIES, a history of eczema, chronic constipation, history of intermittent fevers (103 degrees Fahrenheit) in the last coup...  Read Full »


Dr. Goswami Parth Rajendragiri

Answer: Hello, Welcome to icliniq.com. Following is my opinion on your asked question. The boy is having a roseola viral infection in which human herpesvirus 6 (HHV 6) is positive. I have seen the attached report (attachment removed to protect the patient's identity). It is suggestive of a viral infection...  Read Full »

What is the cause for reduced TLC and WBC after postpartum sepsis infection?

Query: Hello doctor, My sister in law's TLC are going down continuously from 16 to 10 and WBC count from 8500 to 2330. She was admitted to the hospital for a kidney issue. What tests should be done to know the exact cause of WBC going down? WBC count are continuously decreasing after post-partum sepsis and...  Read Full »


Dr. Goswami Parth Rajendragiri

Answer: Hello, Welcome to icliniq.com. Sorry to hear about the ill-health of your sister in law. In the attached reports (attachment removed to protect patient identity), total count, and absolute neutrophils are low suggestive of bone marrow suppression. You have mentioned in the history tha...  Read Full »

What is the cause for neutropenia?

Query: Hi doctor, My son is 15 months old. He was diagnosed with neutropenia. The neutrophils are critically low. My question is whether the illness is related to cancer? Also, what kind of treatment can be given?  Read Full »


Dr. Goswami Parth Rajendragiri

Answer: Hi, Welcome to icliniq.com. I have reviewed your query and here is my advise. When there is a decrease in neutrophil count, the chances of infection are more. So, a close clinical observation is needed. If any unusual fever, dyspnea occurs, you should consult the doctor immediately. The low neutro...  Read Full »

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