Contributed by – Healthians Team
What is the ANC test?
There are five types of white blood cells in the body and neutrophils are one of those five types. In fact, they are the most common ones, making up around 55-70% of the total number. An ANC test checks for any abnormalities in this value.
The basic job of neutrophils is to build immunity against harmful antigens that pose a threat to the body. The most common types of antigens are fungi, viruses, bacteria, protozoa, and cancer cells. When these antigens attack the body, neutrophils produce chemicals to fight them off and protect the body from their harmful effects.
Having normal values of neutrophil cells is important because unlike other types of white blood cells, neutrophils can move freely through the walls of veins and into the tissues to attack antigens immediately.
Who should get tested for ANC?
An absolute neutrophil count test or ANC test is usually a part of the complete blood count (CBC) test. This is done to measure the percentage of neutrophils in the blood. Certain medications, cancer, surgeries, pregnancy, obesity, chronic infections, vitamin deficiencies, and many other conditions can affect the neutrophil count. The test is usually ordered when symptoms like weight loss, night swells, chills or belly pain are present. The results can help in understanding the cause of these symptoms and plan the treatment accordingly.
Why is the ANC test needed?
An ANC test can provide a number of clues about health. It can help in screening and diagnosis of a number of conditions. It also helps in monitoring the effectiveness of ongoing treatment. Besides, this test is also used to understand how well the immune system is functioning.
What does ANC test results mean?
If the levels of neutrophils are high in the blood, then this condition is called neutrophilia. Usually, it is caused by some kind of infection in the body. Other causes can be:
- Injury
- Surgery
- Non-infectious inflammation
- Smoking cigarettes or tobacco
- High levels of stress and anxiety
- Use of steroid
- Sudden cardiac arrest
- Chronic leukaemia
Having low levels of neutrophils in blood is called neutropenia. Following conditions are often responsible for it:
- Bone marrow failure
- Suppressed immune system
- Certain drugs
- HIV/AIDS
- Hepatitis A, B or C
- Autoimmune diseases
- Congenital disorders
- Febrile neutropenia
- Aplastic anaemia
Repeated ANC test can be recommended to monitor the changes if the results are abnormal.
How is the ANC test done?
A small amount of blood is drawn from a vein in the arm. The blood will then be evaluated in a laboratory. Normally an ANC test doesn’t require any kind of preparation. However, certain drugs and conditions can affect the test results of this test. They include –
- Pregnancy
- Recent infection
- Chemotherapy
- Radiation therapy
- Corticosteroids therapy
- Recent surgery
- Anxiety
- HIV
The patient should always inform the doctor about any such pre-existing condition.
