My grandfather has a low blood count...Could he have Cancer?!
Question:
My grandfather has a low blood count...Could he have Cancer?
The doctor didn't say if it was white or red blood cells he said it was lower than the average for a person his age (he's 77 the normal count is 13.5 and his is 11.). The doctor was a blood doctor that worked with Cancer patients...Could he have cancer? The doctor skipped around the subject alot and ask lots of questions about cancer like smoking and stuff...What could this mean? While I was in the waiting room I noticed lots of people that were hairless and wore wigs...is this a sign? They took more blood today and he's going back in 2 wks for results...should I brace myself for anything?
Answers:
From the numbers you gave -11 with normal being 13.5 - this sounds like the value is for your grandather's hemoglobin level and that he is somewhat anemic. There are many, many causes of anemia (low number of red blood cells) .
Usually the hemoglobin is determined as part of a CBC (complete blood count). From additional information that is available in the CBC (things like red blood cell size, concentration of hemoglobin in the red blood cells, white blood cell count, platelet count, etc) the doctor can make a preliminary determination of where to search further to find the cause of the anemia.
Anemia can be caused by cancer, but there are many other causes as well. It sounds like the doctor was gathering information as he would for any new patient.
If he is a blood specialist (hematologist) certainly many people in his waiting room do have cancer, but many of them are there for noncancer problems as well.
Certainly be prepared in case the news is bad, but you can be legitimately hopeful that it is something less serious.