Thrombocytopenia is the presence of a low level (i.e., low count) of platelets (a type of cell that normally helps the blood to clot after an injury has occurred) in the blood. If the platelet count is low, clotting may be delayed.
Some types of chemotherapy (chemo) can cause thrombocytopenia as a side effect, usually beginning 6 to 10 days after the start of chemo. Patients with thrombocytopenia resulting in a blood count containing less than 20,000 platelets per cubic millimeter may experience the following symptoms:
• Bruising
• Bleeding
• Anemia due to bleeding
Diagnosis of thrombocytopenia includes taking a small sample of blood and performing a complete blood count (CBC), a laboratory test in which the numbers of different types of cells in the blood are measured.
For information on treatment of thrombocytopenia, see our Q&A, "Is there anything that can be done to treat the thrombocytopenia that I am experiencing due to chemotherapy?"
|
is a trademark of HC Search Corporation.
for free.
