Neutropenia in Pediatric Oncological Patients

Abstract

In 2020, more than 275,000 children and adolescents from 0 to 19 years of age were diagnosed with cancer in the world. Acute myeloid leukemia or acute lymphoblastic leukemia are the most frequent types of cancer. Leukemia is a serious condition that is fatal in many cases. Since tumor cells are present in both, bone marrow and circulating blood, very aggressive therapeutic treatments are required to eliminate tumor cells. Neutrophils are white blood cells that first respond against microbial pathogens and are produced in the bone marrow. Several drugs used in leukemia cancer treatment can reduce the total neutrophil number causing neutropenia. In this chapter we will briefly describe neutrophil maturation and functions as well as the different types of neutropenia. We will also focus on neutropenia consequences and some clinical approaches for treating neutropenia in pediatric patients.