Final answer:
Chemotherapy in leukemia patients can compromise the immune system and lead to complications like uric acid kidney stones. An acceptable absolute neutrophil count allows continuation of chemotherapy. Drugs like allopurinol may help manage stone formation due to treatment.
Step-by-step explanation:
Patients with leukemia undergoing chemotherapy often have compromised immune systems due to the treatment's impact on white blood cells, which include neutrophils. A blood test called an absolute neutrophil count (ANC) is used to measure the neutrophils level. In the case of a patient with an ANC of 1900 cells per microliter, healthcare professionals would likely proceed with chemotherapy as this count is within the acceptable range to minimize the risk of infection. However, chemotherapy can also lead to other complications such as kidney stones, particularly uric acid stones.
Kidney stones may form due to a high level of uric acid in the blood, which can be a result of leukemia or lymphoma treatment. To manage this condition, drugs such as allopurinol, thiazides, potassium citrate, and magnesium citrate may be prescribed depending on the cause of stone formation. Kidney stones can be very painful and, if they block the ureter, they must be removed to allow the urine to flow from the kidney.
Patients with acute myelogenous leukemia typically experience overproduction of certain white blood cells, which can be nonfunctional or abnormal, thereby affecting the immune system's capability to fight off infections. Treatment with chemotherapy drugs, which are often delivered directly into the bloodstream via a catheter, may further weaken an already immunocompromised system and increase the risk of secondary infections and other complications like kidney stones.