How low does platelet count need to go before treatment is necessary?

The answer to this question, in most cases, depends on whether there are bleeding problems, because most doctors will treat the symptoms rather than looking only at the platelet count. A normal platelet count is between 150,000 and 450,000 per cubic millimeter, but most people won't experience serious bleeding problems until their platelet count drops below 50,000, and some will function fine with a platelet count lower than that. "Doctors try not to treat to a number because everyone is different and reacts differently," says Andrew Putnam, director of the Palliative Care program at Lombardi Comprehensive Cancer Center and Georgetown University. "If the patient isn't having problems with bleeding, then the doctor will probably let it go lower and see if the counts recover."