Overview Show Pancytopenia is a condition in which a person’s body has too few red blood cells, white blood cells, and platelets. Each of these blood cell types has a different job in the body:
If you have pancytopenia, you have a combination of three different blood diseases:
Because your body needs all of these blood cells, pancytopenia can be very serious. It can even be life-threatening if you don’t treat it. Mild pancytopenia often doesn’t cause symptoms. Your doctor might discover it while doing a blood test for another reason. More severe pancytopenia can cause symptoms including:
If you or someone close to you has any of the following serious symptoms and pancytopenia, get medical care right away:
Pancytopenia starts because of a problem with your bone marrow. This spongy tissue inside bones is where blood cells are produced. Diseases and exposure to certain drugs and chemicals can lead to this bone marrow damage. You’re more likely to develop pancytopenia if you have one of these conditions:
In about half of all cases, doctors can’t find a cause for pancytopenia. This is called idiopathic pancytopenia. Complications from pancytopenia stem from a lack of red blood cells, white blood cells, and platelets. These problems can include:
Severe pancytopenia can be life-threatening. If your doctor suspects you have pancytopenia, they’ll likely recommend that you see a hematologist — a specialist who treats blood diseases. This specialist will want to learn your family history and personal medical history. During the exam, the doctor will ask about your symptoms and look at your ears, nose, throat, mouth, and skin. The doctor will also do a complete blood count (CBC). This test measures the amount of red blood cells, white blood cells, and platelets in your blood. If the CBC is abnormal, you might need a peripheral blood smear. This test places a drop of your blood on a slide to look at the different types of blood cells it contains. To look for a problem with your bone marrow, your doctor will likely do a bone marrow aspiration and biopsy. In this test, your doctor uses a needle to remove a small amount of liquid and tissue from inside your bone that can then be tested and examined in a lab. Your doctor might also do separate tests to look for the cause of pancytopenia. These tests can include blood tests to check for infections or leukemia. You might also need a CT scan or other imaging test to look for cancer or other problems with your organs. Your doctor will treat the problem that caused pancytopenia. This might include taking you off a medicine or stopping your exposure to a certain chemical. If your immune system is attacking your bone marrow, you’ll get medicine to dampen your body’s immune response. Treatments for pancytopenia include:
The outlook for pancytopenia depends on what disease caused the condition and how your doctor treats it. If a drug or chemical caused pancytopenia, it should get better within a week after you stop the exposure. Some conditions, like cancer, will take longer to treat. Some causes of pancytopenia, like cancer or inherited bone marrow diseases, aren’t preventable. You may be able to prevent certain types of infection with good hygiene practices and by avoiding contact with anyone who is sick. You can also avoid chemicals that are known to cause this condition. |