Glossary
The state-of-the-art glossary for Waldenström’s macroglobulinemia.
Cytopenia
Cytopenia in the glossary for Waldenström's macroglobulinemia
Reduced number of mature blood cells.
Cytopenia is a reduction in the number of mature blood cells, and is common in cancer patients being treated with radiation and/or chemotherapy. Types of cytopenia include anemia (reduced erythrocyte (red blood cell) count), leukopenia (leukocyte (white blood cell) deficiency), neutropenia (a type of leukopenia, with a specific deficiency of neutrophils), thrombocytopenia (platelet deficiency) and pancytopenia (deficiency of erythrocytes, leukocytes and platelets - a life-threatening condition a characteristic of aplastic anemia). There are two general types of cytopenia: autoimmune (caused by autoimmune attack of blood cells) and refractory (caused by insufficient production of healthy blood cells by the bone marrow).
Glossary overview