The "Neu. count" that Dot refers to is the "neutrophil count" or "ANC" (absolute neutrophil count). The ANC is calculated from measurements of the total number of white blood cells (WBC) and the numbers of neutrophils and bands, which are subsets of the total number of white blood cells. These numbers may be on your Complete Blood Count report if it includes an analysis of the components of the white cells, which is a called a Differential Blood Count. Neutrophils are a type of white blood cell that fights against infection.
Here is the formula for calculating ANC:
ANC= (% of neutrophils + % of bands) x WBC
A normal ANC is above 1500. Generally, a patient with an ANC less than 500 is at significant risk of infection. MDS patients often have low white cell counts and therefore tend to have low ANCs as well. You should ask the doctor about your ANC and, especially if it is low, ask about dietary and other guidelines to follow to limit your risk of infection.
In the U.S. we tend to focus more on the Hemoglobin (HGB) count rather than the "RBC" or Red Blood Cell count, but both are good measures of how the patient is doing. A very good
explanation of blood cell counts is available from the National Institutes of Health.
Regards,
Ruth