Yes, tumors can cause a high white blood cell (WBC) count, known as leukocytosis, through mechanisms like chronic inflammation or by releasing substances that stimulate bone marrow production, with blood cancers (leukemia, lymphoma) often causing significant increases, but it's also a symptom of infection, stress, or other conditions, so further testing is needed.
Solid tumors can also change WBC counts. They can cause inflammation, which raises WBCs.
A high white blood cell count can be a sign of cancer, such as leukemia or lymphoma. However, this symptom is not specific to cancer and can occur for many other reasons, such as infection, inflammation, stress, allergies and immune disorders.
A person with cancer can develop a low WBC count from the cancer or from treatment for the cancer. Cancer may be in the bone marrow, causing fewer neutrophils to be made. The WBC count can also go down when cancer is treated with chemotherapy medicines, which slow bone marrow production of healthy WBCs.
When your child has too many white blood cells, it's called leukocytosis. Leukocytosis may be a sign of an infection, inflammation or another everyday medical issue. In other cases, it may be due to an immune disorder or blood disease.
A high white blood cell count usually means one of the following has increased the making of white blood cells:
More information about the symptoms
Many cancers actually cause your red blood cells to drop. However, there are some cancers that can result in a high red blood cell count, including: Polycythemia vera (a rare blood cancer that causes your body to make too many red blood cells). Renal cell carcinoma (the most common type of kidney cancer among adults).
Blood Cancer Symptoms
Tumor marker blood tests.
The CA-125 blood test is one common tumor marker test commonly used to plan treatment and check for the recurrence of certain cancers (like ovarian and pancreatic). The PSA (prostate-specific antigen) test is a tumor marker test that checks for high levels of PSA in your blood.
Leukocytosis is a normal immune response and isn't always a cause for concern. Most of the time, it means that your body is fighting off infection or inflammation. However, there are times when a high white blood cell count could indicate something more serious, such as leukemia.
Warning signs of lymphoma often include painless swelling of lymph nodes (neck, armpit, groin), persistent fatigue, unexplained fever, and drenching night sweats, alongside weight loss, persistent itching, cough, or shortness of breath. Other signs can involve easy bruising, frequent infections, or abdominal pain/swelling, but these symptoms can also signal other conditions, so seeing a doctor for a proper diagnosis is crucial.
Stage 1: The patient may have an increased white blood cell count and enlarged lymph nodes. Stage 2: The patient may have an increased white blood cell count and an enlarged liver and/or spleen. Lymph nodes may be swollen. Stage 3: The patient may have an increased white blood cell count and also anemia.
Early signs of leukemia often mimic the flu or other common illnesses, including persistent fatigue, unexplained fever, frequent infections, easy bruising/bleeding, and night sweats, along with potential weight loss, bone pain, swollen lymph nodes, or pale skin, though some people have no symptoms initially. These vague symptoms occur due to the body's inability to produce healthy blood cells.
Elevated WBC counts can be a normal response to an infection or injury but can also indicate more serious conditions like cancer. If you or a loved one has cancer and experiences a high WBC count, talk to your doctor about the potential causes and what it means for your treatment plan.
Leukapheresis is a procedure used to treat chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL) or patients with very high white blood cell counts. During leukapheresis, your blood passes through a machine that takes out the white blood cells and returns all the other blood cells and plasma back into the bloodstream.
Common leukemia signs and symptoms include:
Symptoms of Hodgkin lymphoma include:
Circulating tumor cell tests detect cancer cells in your blood. The cells might be in the blood if they've broken away from where they started and are spreading to other parts of the body. Circulating tumor cell tests are mostly used after a cancer diagnosis.
Tumour marker blood tests
Tumour markers are substances that might be raised if there is a cancer. They're usually proteins. They can be found in the blood, urine or body tissues. You might also hear them called biomarkers or molecular markers.
Leukaemia. Leukaemia is a type of blood cancer that affects blood cells in your bone marrow – usually white blood cells. Read our leukaemia information online or order a booklet about your type of leukaemia.
Disorders related to having a high white blood count include:
Age. Most people with leukemia are over 60. Although you can develop it at any time of life, most types are rarely diagnosed in people under 40.
Early signs and symptoms of lymphoma
Stage 1 – A patient has high levels of white blood cells and enlarged lymph nodes. Stage 2 – A patient has high levels of white blood cells and is anemic. He or she may also have enlarged lymph nodes. Stage 3 – A patient has high levels of white blood cells and is anemic.