myelosuppression
Meaning of myelosuppression: Myelosuppression is reduced bone marrow activity that lowers red blood cell, white blood cell, and platelet counts, commonly following chemotherapy or radiation.
Definition of myelosuppression
Myelosuppression is a condition in which the bone marrow's activity is reduced, resulting in fewer red blood cells, white blood cells, and platelets than normal being produced and released into circulation. It is a common effect of many chemotherapy drugs and of radiation therapy directed at areas of the body containing significant bone marrow.
Because the bone marrow is responsible for producing all three of these blood cell types, myelosuppression can lead to several related problems at once, including fatigue from a low red blood cell count, an increased risk of infection from a low white blood cell count, and an increased risk of bleeding from a low platelet count.
When myelosuppression becomes severe enough that the bone marrow essentially stops producing new blood cells, the condition is described as myeloablation, a more extreme state that generally requires closer monitoring and support until the bone marrow recovers or is restored through a stem cell transplant.
Also known as
Used in a sentence
The patient's blood counts were monitored closely for myelosuppression during the chemotherapy cycle.
Good to know
Myelosuppression can affect red blood cells, white blood cells, and platelets together or separately, so its clinical effects depend on which specific cell lines are most reduced in a given case.
Word origin
Where “myelosuppression” comes from
Formed from Greek myelos, meaning marrow, and Latin suppressio, from supprimere, meaning to press down.