Inflammatory changes in the body, sometimes shown by "inflammatory markers" in the blood such as CRP (C-reactive protein), have been linked with a number of diseases, including cancer. Researchers have now used data from the Women's Health Initiative (WHI) Study to see if there's a relationship between the white blood cell (WBC) count and the occurrence of 4 specific cancers. Their findings are published in the Archives of Internal Medicine.

The WHI study involved over 140,000 postmenopausal women from 40 clinical centers in the USA . Women with a WBC count in the high-but-still-normal range (between 7 and 15 thousand per mm3) were significantly more likely to develop invasive breast cancer, colorectal cancer, endometrial (uterine) cancer, and lung cancer. They also had an increased risk of breast, lung, and overall mortality.

The actual increased risks ranged from 15% to 63% - quite small, compared with the risk linked with smoking, for instance. However, a WBC count over 7,000/mm3, if it's persistent and without a known cause, means the patient should be watched (and maybe tested) for signs of early cancer.