The absolute neutrophil count (ANC) measures the number of neutrophils in a blood sample, providing information on a patient’s immune status. A count above 1,500 is normal, while counts of 500 or less indicate high risk of infection. Patients with low counts should take precautions to avoid infection, and doctors may order the test to monitor patients undergoing chemotherapy.
The absolute neutrophil count (ANC) is a laboratory test that measures the number of neutrophils present in a blood sample, measured per microliter. This test provides important information about a patient’s immune status, as neutrophils play a key role in the human immune system. Doctors may order an absolute neutrophil count for a patient suspected of having an immune condition or a patient at risk of immunocompromise, such as a patient undergoing chemotherapy for cancer, for purposes of diagnosis and evaluation.
Neutrophils are a type of white blood cell involved in a number of different immune responses. They have a relatively short life span in the body, and an ANC can provide an excellent snapshot of current immune function. In the test, technicians examine both mature neutrophils and immature cells that will differentiate into neutrophils to project the patient’s count in days to come as well as determine how many cells are currently active.
If the absolute neutrophil count is above 1,500, it is within the normal range. Counts less than 1,000 indicate mild neutropenia. The patient is at risk of infection, but the risk is relatively low as long as the patient takes common-sense precautions. Counts of 500 or less are in the danger zone. The patient’s immune system is highly compromised and the patient will not be able to fight off the infection. For patient safety, contact with other people should be limited to individuals known to be healthy.
As the neutrophil count begins to decline, patients may be advised to take special precautions to avoid infection. Hand washing is recommended to limit the spread of infection, as well as avoiding crowded environments, where numerous people could carry infections that are minor for them and potentially serious for someone with a compromised immune system. In individuals with very low counts, hospitalization may be recommended to be safe or the patient may be advised to stay home and limit access to healthy family members and caregivers.
Doctors may order an absolute neutrophil count on a patient undergoing chemotherapy to see how they are responding and to identify potential risks to the patient. This, along with other laboratory tests, is used to monitor a patient’s progress during chemotherapy treatments. If the patient does not respond, a new treatment plan with secondary chemotherapy drugs may be developed to see if the patient’s cancer will respond to those drugs.
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