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Neutropenia or neutropaenia, is an abnormally low concentration of neutrophils (a type of white blood cell) in the blood. Neutrophils make up the majority of circulating white blood cells and serve as the primary defense against infections by destroying bacteria, bacterial fragments and immunoglobulin-bound viruses in the blood.
An ANC of less than 1,000 means that you have a low number of neutrophils and your immune system is weak. Ask your doctor or nurse to tell you exactly what your numbers mean. The lower the ANC drops and the longer it stays low, the higher your risk of getting a serious infection.