Absolute neutrophil count

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Pronunciation[edit | edit source]

AB-soh-loot NOO-troh-fil kownt

Cycling peripheral blood ANCs in CyN patients
Cycling peripheral blood ANCs in CyN patients

Definition[edit | edit source]

A measure of the number of neutrophils in the blood.

What are neurophils?[edit | edit source]

Neutrophils are a type of white blood cell.

Function of neutrophils[edit | edit source]

They help the body fight infection.

Complete blood count and differential
Complete blood count and differential

Use of ANC[edit | edit source]

  • An absolute neutrophil count may be used to check for infection, inflammation, leukemia, and other conditions.
  • The lower a person's absolute neutrophil count is, the higher the risk is of getting an infection.
  • Having an absolute neutrophil count of less than 500 means there is a high risk of getting an infection.
  • Cancer treatment, such as chemotherapy, may reduce the absolute neutrophil count.

Normal values[edit | edit source]

The reference range for ANC is between 1500 to 8000 cells per microliter is typical. For most people, an ANC between 2,500 and 6,000.

Caliculation[edit | edit source]

The ANC is found by multiplying the WBC count by the percent of neutrophils in the blood

Neutropenia[edit | edit source]

An ANC less than 1500 cells/µL is defined as neutropenia which increases risk of infection.

Other names[edit | edit source]

Also called ANC


Absolute neutrophil count Resources
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Contributors: Prab R. Tumpati, MD