NeutropeniaIt’s been just over a year since Cynthia Vega was told she has stage four breast cancer: When she was diagnosed,the cancer had already spread to her bones.“I thought I had a shoulder injury on my right shoulder. And I went to a shoulder specialist. And then after doingan X-ray, MRI, he realized it was a tumor.”-Cynthia, PatientToday, there may be no better testament to the success of Cynthia’s treatment than the sport she chose to take up:archery. Cynthia’s ‘a rightie.’“If someone would have told me a year ago that I would have access to my shoulder, I wouldn’t have believedthem. I really thought the step for me was going to be losing my entire right arm.”-Cynthia, PatientA combination of radiation, chemotherapy, and hormone therapy brought the cancer under control and has givenCynthia her life back. But the treatment also weakened her immune system, which fights off germs that can makeus sick.“When we give anti-cancer treatment, we sometimes see a decrease in what we call the white blood cellcount.”-Dr. Ruth Oratz, MD, OncologistWhen your white blood cell level drops too low, it’s called “Neutropenia”, because “Neutrophils”, a particular type ofwhite blood cell made by your bone marrow, are affected. Neutropenia increases your risk of serious infections.“The single most important thing that you can do to help prevent getting an infection – is washing your hands.You may also want to make sure that your environment is clean and hygienic. Ask your doctor if you need totake special precautions.”- Dr. Ruth Oratz, MD, Oncologist“I had to basically, uh, not eat raw foods, like sushi; no raw meats; everything had to be well-, well-cooked tomake sure that I didn’t get sick.”-Cynthia, PatientThat’s because cooking foods like meat, poultry, fish, and eggs thoroughly kills off any bacteria that can make yousick. You also may need to scrub raw fruits and vegetables more than usual to get rid of germs.“If we anticipate significant neutropenia, for prolonged periods of time, we may recommend precautions thatare a little bit more intensive about protecting against infection.”- Dr. Ruth Oratz, MD, OncologistPage 1 of 2This program is for informational purposes only. Publisher disclaims all guarantees regarding the accuracy, completeness,or suitability of this video for medical decision making. For all health related issues please contact your healthcare provider.HCON1001498 EN Neutropenia.pdf© The Wellness NetworkNeutropeniaFor example – to prevent skin infections: Be very careful not to cut yourself. If you do get a cut, clean the woundright away with soap and warm water, and cover it with a bandage. You may be prescribed medication thathelps ward off neutropenia by stimulating bone marrow to make more white blood cells.“This medicine is terrific at really preventing serious neutropenia, and the infections that could be caused bythat.”- Dr. Ruth Oratz, MD, OncologistStill, regardless of the precautions you take, keep an eye out for signs of potential infection, including fever: atemperature of 100.4 or higher, chills or sweating, redness, pain, swelling, or a sudden warm feeling around anIV injection site or any sore.“If you have an infection, we wanna know about it, and make sure that we evaluate it, and treat youpromptly.”- Dr. Ruth Oratz, MD, OncologistCynthia’s current treatment puts her at less risk of neutropenia than she was before. But she’s still aiming toprotect herself.“It is hard, it is more time-consuming, you have to be more cautious. But you know if you think of thealternative, of getting extremely sick, and being stuck in a hospital, for making these few adjustments inyour life, and in your daily schedule will help.”-Cynthia, PatientPage 2 of 2This program is for informational purposes only. Publisher disclaims all guarantees regarding the accuracy, completeness,or suitability of this video for medical decision making. For all health related issues please contact your healthcare provider.HCON1001498 EN Neutropenia.pdf© The Wellness Network
