A Simple Blood Test May Explain Low Blood Counts in Kids With Cancer
Original title: Routine Serologic Duffy Testing in Pediatric Oncology: Clinical Utility and Feasibility in a Single-Center Cohort.
How far along is this research?
- Lab cells
- Animals
- Review
- Tested in people
This was tested in people. That is the most reliable kind of research we share.
The test was used in real patients, but only studied by looking back at records at one hospital.
The short version
Some children are born with low infection fighting blood cells, and a blood test can show it.
What was studied. Doctors at one hospital looked back at children treated for cancer. Sixty-three of these children got a blood test for a trait called Duffy. The tests were done between January 2023 and June 2026.
What they found. Six of the children were found to be Duffy null. That means their low blood counts were natural, not caused by their drugs. Before the test, these six had chemo delays, lower drug doses, or long waits for answers. The test fit into the hospital's normal blood bank work, came back in 24 to 48 hours, and was paid for by insurance.
What this means, and what it doesn't
What it could mean: If a child's infection fighting cells stay low, chemo may not be the reason. A simple blood test can help the care team read those counts the right way. That could help avoid holding or cutting back on treatment when it is not needed.
What it doesn't mean: This is not a treatment, and it is not a cure. It was one hospital looking back at its own records, and only six children had the trait. The authors say bigger studies at more hospitals are needed next. This does not prove that the test leads to better results for children.
Source: PubMed, October 7, 2026 · Read the original
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