(NewsNation) — Whether it’s a change in appetite, new lumps or persisting fatigue, there are plenty of things patients can monitor as potential cancer indicators.
One potential cancer indicator — a high eosinophil count — is a bit more internal. Here’s what to know.
What is an eosinophil? What is eosinophilia?
Eosinophils are a specific type of white blood cell, which works to protect the body from outside threats like bacteria and viruses — and are particularly suited against parasites.
Larger than a typical white blood cell, eosinophils make up less than 5% of all white blood cells in the body, according to the Cleveland Clinic.
These cells “become active when you have certain allergic diseases, infections, and other medical conditions,” Mount Sinai Hospital said. Essentially, any ailment that requires your body to fight back using its white blood cells will likely wake up some eosinophils.
A condition — eosinophilia — can occur when there are too many eosinophils in the body. It can happen in both blood and in inflamed tissues, per the Mayo Clinic.
Typically, these heightened numbers don’t last long, but having a high count over an extended period of time could indicate more serious conditions.
Eosinophils and cancer: What to know
A mildly high count of eosinophils range from 500 to 1,500 per microliter of blood, while moderate is from 1,500 to 5,000 and severe is greater than 5,000.
While rare, a consistently high eosinophil count can indicate the presence of certain cancers, according to the Cleveland Clinic.
These cancers include:
- Breast
- Colorectal
- Cervical
- Ovarian
- Prostate
- Hodgkin lymphoma
But having a higher eosinophil count doesn’t automatically mean you have cancer, as heightened levels could be attributed to a nasty infection.
“Having high eosinophils absolutely does not mean you have cancer,” Kerry Rogers, MD, from the Ohio State University Comprehensive Cancer Center – The James, told Patient Power.