Neutropenia is the decrease in the number of neutrophils in the blood below normal levels. It can be acute (short duration) or chronic (lasting more than three months).
In oncology, she can occur as a side effect of cancer treatment, caused by chemotherapy, radiotherapy, and/or molecular target drugs.
May be associated with fever, a condition known as febrile neutropenia, and can result in a higher risk of contracting infections.
In some cases, reducing the dose of chemotherapy or molecular target drug may be sufficient to reverse neutropenia.
In other cases, temporary interruption of treatment may be necessary. When the number of neutrophils is very low and/or when fever or infection occurs, hospitalization and administration of antibiotics may be necessary.
Currently, there are medications that can prevent and treat neutropenia by stimulating the production of neutrophils. These medications are known as hematopoietic growth factors.
