Treatments for low platelets include:
Chemotherapy delay/dose reduction. If your platelet count is very low, your doctor may delay your chemotherapy. This allows the number of platelets to go up to a normal level allowing your chemotherapy to resume. Your doctor may also reduce the dosage of your chemotherapy to minimize your chances of developing low platelets, or thrombocytopenia, again.
Interleukin-11. If you have a type of cancer known as nonmyeloid cancer and are at high risk for severe low platelets, your doctor may give you this drug soon after chemotherapy. This drug may help to prevent low platelets and to decrease the need for platelet transfusion afterwards. Side effects may include hypersensitivity reaction, swelling, water retention, nausea, and vomiting.
Watch and wait. This is for patients who have mild low platelets and no bleeding. Your doctor will watch out for low platelet counts and possible bleeding and wait to see if you need treatment.
Platelet transfusion. This may be needed if your platelet count is very low. If you need a platelet transfusion, a doctor or nurse will put an IV into your vein. Donor platelets are then pumped through the IV into your blood. You may need to check into the hospital to have this procedure. Transfusions can cause side effects such as fever, hypersensitivity reaction and, occasionally, infection.
Possible new treatments in the future. Medical research into new treatments may provide other choices.
