What is the name of the white blood cells that fight against viruses and cancer cells?
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A lymphocyte is a type of white blood cell that is part of the immune system. There are two main types of lymphocytes: B cells and T cells. The B cells produce antibodies that are used to attack invading bacteria, viruses, and toxins. The T cells destroy the body's own cells that
have themselves been taken over by viruses or become cancerous. NarrationLymphocytes are cells that circulate in your blood that are part of the immune system. There are two main types lymphocytes: T cells and B cells. B cells produce antibody molecules that can latch on and destroy invading viruses or bacteria. T cells are direct fighters of foreign invaders and also produced cytokines, which are biological substances that help activate other parts of the immune system. One such part is called macrophages. These macrophages act to clean up the invaders and the dead tissue after an immune response. SearchWhite blood cells (WBCs) fight infections from bacteria, viruses, fungi, and other pathogens (organisms that cause infection). One important type of WBC is the neutrophil. These cells are made in the bone marrow and travel in the blood throughout the body. They sense infections, gather at sites of infection, and destroy the pathogens. When the body has too few neutrophils, the condition is called neutropenia. This makes it harder for the body to fight off pathogens. As a result, the person is more likely to get sick from infections. In general, an adult who has fewer than 1,000 neutrophils in a microliter of blood has neutropenia. If the neutrophil count is very low, fewer than 500 neutrophils in a microliter of blood, it is called severe neutropenia. When the neutrophil count gets this low, even the bacteria normally living in a person's mouth, skin, and gut can cause serious infections. 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 drugs, which slow bone marrow production of healthy WBCs. When your blood is tested, ask for your WBC count and specifically, your neutrophil count. If your counts are low, do what you can to prevent infections. Know the signs of infection and what to do if you have them. Prevent infections by taking the following measures:
If you have any of the following symptoms, call your health care provider:
Neutropenia and cancer; Absolute neutrophil count and cancer; ANC and cancer American Cancer Society website. Infections in people with cancer: why people with cancer are more likely to get infections. www.cancer.org/treatment/treatments-and-side-effects/physical-side-effects/infections/infections-in-people-with-cancer.html. Updated March 13, 2020. Accessed July 30 2, 2021. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention website. Preventing infections in cancer patients. www.cdc.gov/cancer/preventinfections/index.htm. Updated November 10, 2020. Accessed July 30, 2021. Freifeld AG, Kaul DR. Infection in the patient with cancer. In: Niederhuber JE, Armitage JO, Kastan MB, Doroshow JH, Tepper JE, eds. Abeloff's Clinical Oncology. 6th ed. Philadelphia, PA: Elsevier; 2020:chap 34. Updated by: Todd Gersten, MD, Hematology/Oncology, Florida Cancer Specialists & Research Institute, Wellington, FL. Review provided by VeriMed Healthcare Network. Also reviewed by David Zieve, MD, MHA, Medical Director, Brenda Conaway, Editorial Director, and the A.D.A.M. Editorial team. This page is about the immune system. It also tells you about the effects that cancer or treatments may have on the immune system. And how some treatments can boost the immune system to help fight cancer. There is information about What the immune system doesThe immune system protects the body against illness and infection that bacteria, viruses, fungi or parasites can cause. It is a collection of reactions and responses that the body makes to damaged cells or infection. So it is sometimes called the immune response. The immune system is important to people with cancer because:
Cancer and treatments may weaken immunityCancer can weaken the immune system by spreading into the bone marrow. Certain cancer treatments can temporarily weaken the immune system. This is because they can cause a drop in the number of white blood cells made in the bone marrow. Cancer treatments that are more likely to weaken the immune system are:
You can find information about the different types of cancer treatments. The immune system can help to fight cancerSome cells of the immune system can recognise cancer cells as abnormal and kill them. But this may not be enough to get rid of a cancer altogether. Some treatments aim to use the immune system to fight cancer. There are 2 main parts of the immune system:
In built immune protectionThis is also called innate immunity. These mechanisms are always ready and prepared to defend the body from infection. They can act immediately (or very quickly). This in built protection comes from:
Different things can overcome and damage these natural protection mechanisms. For example:
Certain cancer treatments can also overcome these protection mechanisms. Chemotherapy can temporarily reduce the number of neutrophils in the body, making it harder for you to fight infections. Radiotherapy to the lung can damage the hairs and mucus producing cells that help to remove bacteria. NeutrophilsNeutrophils are a type of white blood cell that are very important for fighting infection. They can:
When you don't have enough neutrophils in your blood, doctors may say that you are neutropaenic. Chemotherapy, targeted cancer drugs and some radiotherapy treatments can lower the number of neutrophils in the blood. So you might get more bacterial or fungal infections after these treatments. It is important for you to know the following when having cancer treatment:
It is more usual to become ill from bugs you carry around with you than from catching someone else's. This means that you shouldn't have to avoid contact with your family, friends or children after treatment. You can ask your doctor or nurse what precautions you should take against infection. Acquired immunityThis is immune protection that the body learns after having certain diseases. The body learns to recognise each different kind of bacteria, fungus or virus it meets for the first time. So the next time the same bug invades the body it is easier for the immune system to fight it. This is why you usually only get some infectious diseases such as measles or chicken pox once. Vaccination works by using this type of immunity. A vaccine contains a small amount of protein from a disease. This is not harmful but it allows the immune system to recognise the disease if it meets it again. The immune response can then stop you getting the disease. Some vaccines use small amounts of the live bacteria or virus. These are live attenuated vaccines. It means that scientists have changed the virus or bacteria so that it stimulates the immune system to make antibodies. A live vaccine won't cause an infection. Other types of vaccine use killed bacteria or viruses, or parts of proteins that bacteria and viruses produce. B cells and T cellsLymphocytes are a type of white blood cells involved in the acquired immune response. There are 2 main types of lymphocytes:
The bone marrow produces all blood cells, including B and T lymphocytes. Like the other blood cells, they have to fully mature before they can help in the immune response. B cells mature in the bone marrow. But T cells mature in the thymus gland.
You can read about the thymus, spleen and lymph nodes on our page about the lymphatic system and cancer. What B cells doB cells react against invading bacteria or viruses by making proteins called antibodies. Your body makes a different antibody for each different type of germ (bug). The antibody locks onto the surface of the invading bacteria or virus. This marks the invader so that the body knows it is dangerous and needs to be killed. Antibodies can also find and kill damaged cells. The B cells are part of the memory of the immune system. The next time the same germ tries to invade the B cells that make the right antibody are ready for it. They are able to make their antibody very quickly. How antibodies workAntibodies have 2 ends. One end sticks to proteins on the outside of white blood cells. The other end sticks to the germ or damaged cell and helps to kill it. The end of the antibody that sticks to the white blood cell is always the same. Scientists call this the constant end. The end of the antibody that recognises germs and damaged cells varies, depending on the cell it needs to recognise. So it is called the variable end. Each B cell makes antibodies with a different variable end from other B cells. Cancer cells are not normal cells. So some antibodies with variable ends recognise cancer cells and stick to them. What T cells doThere are different kinds of T cells called:
The helper T cells stimulate the B cells to make antibodies and help killer cells develop. Killer T cells kill the body's own cells that have been invaded by the viruses or bacteria. This prevents the germ from reproducing in the cell and then infecting other cells. Cancer treatments that use the immune systemSome cancer treatments use parts of the immune system to help treat cancer. ImmunotherapyImmunotherapy is a treatment for some types of cancer. It uses the immune system to find and kill cancer cells. They are helpful in cancer treatment because cancer cells are different from normal cells. And the immune system can recognise and kill abnormal cells. In the laboratory scientists can produce different chemicals that are part of the immune response. So, they can make different types of immunotherapies such as: You can read more about the types of immunotherapy. What are white blood cells called that fight cancer?Lymphocytes are a type of white blood cells involved in the acquired immune response. There are 2 main types of lymphocytes: B cells. T cells.
What type of white blood cell fights viruses?Lymphocytes. They create antibodies to fight against bacteria, viruses, and other potentially harmful invaders. Neutrophils. They kill and digest bacteria and fungi.
What blood cells help to fight infections and viruses?One of the key functions of blood is protection. White blood cells are immune system cells. They are like warriors waiting in your blood stream to attack invaders such as bacteria and viruses. When fighting an infection, your body produces more white blood cells.
What are WBC also called?WBCs are also called leukocytes. They help fight infections. There are five major types of white blood cells: Basophils. Eosinophils.
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