Final answer:
Corticosteroids increase neutrophil counts by causing demargination from endothelial walls into circulating blood. For a chemotherapy patient, an ANC of 1900 cells/µl is typically the minimum acceptable count to proceed with treatment.
Step-by-step explanation:
Neutrophil counts increase with corticosteroids because these drugs induce the demargination of neutrophils from the endothelial walls of blood vessels, increasing their presence in the circulating blood. In contrast, corticosteroids cause lymphocytes, monocytes, eosinophils, and basophils to migrate from the bloodstream to tissues. A patient's absolute neutrophil count (ANC) is crucial ahead of chemotherapy since a low count can signal an increased risk of infection. A count of 1900 cells per microliter is generally considered the lower threshold of an acceptable ANC for chemotherapy; thus, the healthcare team may proceed with treatment, although this decision would involve the consideration of other patient-specific factors as well.