ANC Calculation Result
With a WBC of 6.2 × 10⁹/L and 51.1% neutrophils, the calculated ANC is 3.17 × 10⁹/L (or 3,170 cells/µL), which is normal and indicates no neutropenia. 1, 2
Calculation Method
The ANC is calculated by multiplying the total WBC count by the percentage of neutrophils (segmented neutrophils plus bands):
Clinical Interpretation
This ANC of 3.17 × 10⁹/L is well above the normal threshold of 1.5 × 10⁹/L (1,500 cells/µL), indicating adequate neutrophil levels for infection defense. 1, 2
Classification Context:
- Normal ANC: >1.5 × 10⁹/L - This patient falls into this category 1, 2
- Mild neutropenia: 1.0-1.5 × 10⁹/L 1
- Moderate neutropenia: 0.5-1.0 × 10⁹/L 1
- Severe neutropenia: <0.5 × 10⁹/L 1, 4
Clinical Significance
No intervention is required for this patient, as the ANC is normal and provides adequate protection against bacterial and fungal infections. 2
- No antimicrobial prophylaxis is needed, as this is only indicated for severe neutropenia (ANC <0.5 × 10⁹/L) 4
- No monitoring beyond routine clinical care is necessary 1
- The patient is suitable for chemotherapy if clinically indicated, as the ANC exceeds the threshold of 1.5 × 10⁹/L required for treatment 5, 2
Important Caveats:
- Automated ANC values from modern hematology analyzers are accurate and precise, even at very low levels, with excellent correlation to manual counts (R² = 0.99) 3, 6
- If this patient were on medications affecting neutrophil counts (such as clozapine), continued monitoring would be appropriate only if the ANC dropped below 3.0 × 10⁹/L 2