ABSOLUTE LYMPHOCYTE COUNT

THE ABSOLUTE LYMPHOCYTE COUNT (ALC) MEASURES THE EXACT NUMBER OF LYMPHOCYTES, A TYPE OF WHITE BLOOD CELL, IN YOUR BLOOD. LYMPHOCYTES ARE CRUCIAL FOR A HEALTHY IMMUNE SYSTEM, HELPING TO FIGHT OFF INFECTIONS AND DISEASES. AN ABNORMALLY LOW ALC, CALLED LYMPHOPENIA, CAN INDICATE VARIOUS CONDITIONS, INCLUDING VIRAL INFECTIONS, AUTOIMMUNE DISEASES, OR BONE MARROW PROBLEMS. CONVERSELY, A HIGH ALC, OR LYMPHOCYTOSIS, MIGHT SUGGEST A VIRAL INFECTION, CHRONIC LYMPHOCYTIC LEUKEMIA, OR OTHER IMMUNE SYSTEM DISORDERS. THE ALC IS CALCULATED FROM THE COMPLETE BLOOD COUNT (CBC) AND IS OFTEN USED TO MONITOR THE EFFECTIVENESS OF TREATMENTS FOR CERTAIN CONDITIONS.