3 replies to this topic

[JoshLee]

Hi Everyone,

     I may have typed about this before, but I have a question. Do any of your respective hospitals include a 6 part differential on their CBC's? I have had immature granulocytes show up on a few CBC's and wonder if this means I am losing response and control of my disease. They list reference ranges that are %= 0.0-0.5 and # 0.00-0.03. My numbers are respectively 0.2 and 0.01. I just know that immature granulocytes are basically what CML is made of and at diagnosis we all had metas myelos and what not and from what I understand, immature grans are more mature than blasts, but less mature than a fully functioning granulocyte. Has anyone else ever had these at any point? What do your oncologists say? When should I go in for a follow up if I need to? WBC 4.3 PLT 165 HB 15.2 RBC 4.9 ANC 2.54 Thanks, Josh

[hannibellemo]

Hi, Josh,

I can't answer your question - I'm sure someone will be along soon who can, but after 5 years I wish my counts looked as good as yours!

Pat

[Trey]

It is not usually listed on a CBC unless out of range.  Yours are in range.  "Immature granulocytes" are a type of blast, and the other main type is lymphocyte blasts.  Then there are early and late blasts such as the promyelocytes, metamelocytes, etc.  Blasts can be normal or leukemic.  Essentially, if you had no blasts you would never have any mature WBCs, since they are just a stage in the WBC cell life.  But they are supposed to stay in the marrow until the divide into mature WBCs.  Some leakage can occur, especially during illness, viruses, infections, allergens, etc. 

Overall it is not a problem at your levels.  Most people never know their peripheral blood blast count. 

[hannibellemo]

Did I call that, or what?