Understanding CBC Changes After GBM4 Treatment with Temodar & Radiation

Question
My husband just finished 30 days of radiation and temador for GBM4. Mid cycle of his 30 days all his CBC w/differential was within normal range.  At the end of treatment his RDW was HIGH on this lab range at 15.1 and his Eos (absolute was High at 0.5.  What could that mean.  I know they are checking before they start him on a higher cycle of Temador 5/23.  Any ideas? Thank you. Donna

Answer
Hi Donna.  I'm not sure what the drug Temador is or what it's for, but I can tell you about the abnormal lab values you mentioned.  RDW is RBC (Red Blood Cell) Distribution Width. Increased RDW indicates a mixed population of  the shapes of RBCs and immature RBCs tend to be larger.  That may be normal for his condition.  But his result of 15.1 isn't really that abnormal.  It's probably just a little over the normal range.  In fact, at the lab I work at, the normal range for RDW is anything less than 16.0.   The eosinophil count is a measure of one kind of white blood cell (WBC).  Eosinophils can be increased in allergies or parasitic infections.  But again, the count of 0.5 isn't all that abnormal, it's just a little out of the normal range.  I woulddn;t worry about these two slightly abnormal values.

Samantha