Hello, I am a 20 year old female. I was just wondering if anyone knew if all types of cancer show an increase in White Blood Cells on a CBC.? I have had pain in my back/ribs/neck for ages now. It's probably been over a year. Every time I go to the doctor, or emergency room, they find nothing. Just recently I have been having more pain along the side of my neck. It almost feels like a pulled muscle, but I can also feel a lump, almost like a lymph node. I had a CBC done 10/15 and it came back slightly high in regards to monocytes and RDW. I just had another about 1 1/2 weeks ago, and the ER docotr said everything came back noemal. (He also did a monospot, this came back negative.) The last CBC was done because I was in ER with pain under my ribs. Appendicitis and spleen injury were also ruled out. I am just very scared because I had an uncle die from lung cancer, and I worry that cancer will strike me next. I do have an anxiety problem. I have also been very fatigued, and I have a grandmother with fibromyalgia. I was starting to write all this pain off to inheriting that until it got recently worse. Any Help would be greatly appreciated!!

Thanks, from someone VERY worried.

Hello, I am a 20 year old female. I was just wondering if anyone knew if all types of cancer show an increase in White Blood Cells on a CBC.? I have had pain in my back/ribs/neck for ages now. It's probably been over a year. Every time I go to the doctor, or emergency room, they find nothing. Just recently I have been having more pain along the side of my neck. It almost feels like a pulled muscle, but I can also feel a lump, almost like a lymph node. I had a CBC done 10/15 and it came back slightly high in regards to monocytes and RDW. I just had another about 1 1/2 weeks ago, and the ER docotr said everything came back noemal. (He also did a monospot, this came back negative.) The last CBC was done because I was in ER with pain under my ribs. Appendicitis and spleen injury were also ruled out. I am just very scared because I had an uncle die from lung cancer, and I worry that cancer will strike me next. I do have an anxiety problem. I have also been very fatigued, and I have a grandmother with fibromyalgia. I was starting to write all this pain off to inheriting that until it got recently worse. Any Help would be greatly appreciated!!

Thanks, from someone VERY worried.
The white blood cell count can be high, low or normal during cancer. There are types of cancers that are associated with an elevated white count such as Chronic lymphocytic Leukemia. However, fibromyalgia, fatigue, anxiety and connective tissue disease can all cause your symptoms and besides being a pain in the neck(ha ha) they will not kill you or make you go through needless medical attention unless you push the issue. Connective tissue disease(inflammatory conditions) can cause a great deal of discomfort and there are some remedies out there for the pain such as herbal medicines and specialized diets free from as many preservatives as possible. Many aches and pains are caused by allergies to foods, perfumes and dyes. Good luck to you.

Many cancers do not cause elevation in the white blood cell count.

Your symptoms do actually sound very much like fibromyalgia, although there could be something else wrong. Regardless, I tend to doubt that it's cancer because if it were, you would probably have developed other symptoms by now (other than pain).

You may want to see a rheumatologist for a tender point test, which could rule in or out fibromyalgia.

Ruth