Chemotherapy works by killing fast-growing cancer cells. Unfortunately, chemotherapy drugs can’t always tell the difference between cancer cells and fast-growing healthy cells. As a result, one of the potential side effects of many types of chemotherapy drugs can be a low white blood cell count. A low number of a specific type of white blood cells called neutrophils—also known as neutropenia—can put some patients at risk for infections and may interrupt chemo treatment. My guest Theresa Gratton is an instructor with Chasing4Life, a national disaster preparedness organization based out of the Midwest, and she will help us with insights on how to be proactive against germs when the patient is neutropenic. Treatment S.O.S. will be rebroadcast on Saturday, February 18th at 4:00 p.m. on www.W4WN.com.
