I was diagnosed with secondary cancer in my liver and central lymph nodes at the end of May 2019. I started on abemaciclib and fulvestrant and my scan in August showed that the cancer was reduced. But my liver ALT got too high so I had to come off the abemaciclib and after a few months when my ALT was back to normal, I was started on ribociclib and fulvestrant. That only lasted a few weeks as my liver ALT went up again. The CT scan from December showed a lot of progression of the cancer in my liver and in my lymph nodes. I start Paclitaxel on Wednesday. I am really worried that my ALT will be too high and I won’t be able to start the chemo. Has any one else had high ALT with progression in the liver and were you allowed to start chemo. I am not sure what my options are if I can’t start the treatment. I have been reading about ablation or cyber knife. Has anyone had this? Finally I lost all my hair when I had chemo in 2012 and I want to try the cold cap again. Has anyone got any tips of how to cope. Thanks for reading.
Hi Bee, I’m sorry no one has been able to answer any of your questions. I’m so sorry you are in this very difficult position. I have lung mets, but two of my friends have liver mets. I’m not sure what ALT is, so forgive me if I’m not very helpful to you. One has had a liver resection and is doing very well. The other is in a similar position to yourself and she has been unable to have two lots of chemo. Her tumour is quite large and is causing some pain, and her appetite is quite poor. However, she is very positive re treatment, and is hoping that she will be able to have it this week. I think it’s the weekly trips to the hospital that are getting her down. She has lost her hair and is, again, wearing a wig. She didn’t do cold cap first time. She said she couldn’t be bothered ( or manage?) the extra time and discomfort. I think it’s a very personal choice. I hope you get a few more informed replies, and I wish you well with your treatment. X?
Hi Bee
I had 10 weekly paxlitaxol from end August till 31 st October last year. I did the cold cap. It did work but I did loose some hair. The cap has to be a really good fit. Think why I lost some hair was mine was too big. If you do go for it you must insist.
Good luck.
Linda
Hi Bee
I also have mets to my liver (since 2013) and at times my ALT levels were too high to have the treatment I was on (Capecitabine). I’m not sure how high your current level is (and you don’t need to tell me ) but I did know on Cape that up to 3 times the maximum reading in the normal range would allow chemo to happen, above that it was too toxic. I did read somewhere that a reduced dose can be given with some treatments so the stress on the liver isn’t too great. My ALT levels since early on in my liver mets dx have remained fairly normal although I do Know that things that put stress on the liver are reflected in high ALT readings, this can include substances such as alcohol and, if I remember correctly, paracetamol.
Fingers crossed the levels are OK for treatment to start and you cope well with it. Btw I have used the cold cap before, with other chemos, but, like Linda, if the cap is not a very close fit you are likely to get areas where the hair thins or falls out. After using it on 2 separate treatment types, some years apart, I have said never again. I can’t stand the absolute cold of it, but that’s just me.
I have also had a liver resection, in 2018, which was successful for about a year after which a scan showed new lesions. I was lucky that our local hospital is a centre of excellence for abdominal cancer surgery and that my lesion was in an accessible place as there are some areas that are difficult to access and also if there are too many lesions neither procedure (ablation or resection) will be able to be done.
Nicky x
Hi I did the cold Cap last year and I found it helped to keep drinking a warm drink and take a hotwater bottle. I found it tolerable and that it helped me to feel less sickly. I hope you keep your hair as I did. Incidently 3 weeks after my Chemo ended my eyelashes and eyebrows fell out! I was quite cross and suprised. They grew within a week though so not too bad. I hope your Chemo is sucessful in slowing or stopping progression. Ive had almost a year free of treatment but the return again in my Liver this time means a trial CT7001 -triple negative.
Hi there,
I appreciate I’m a bit late to the party with this thread but I found all your comments helpful. Sorry to hear about all your stories and frustrations. My partner has secondary breast cancer of the liver and this is triple-negative. She is currently in bed recovering from an ablation procedure, where she had a 3mm tumour ‘blasted’ (it was 1.6 but in the 3 months since her scan it had grown). It was a success and I guess you could consider her no evidence of disease for the time being.
I wanted to reply as I know that you’ve mentioned ablation. I know it’s not an option suitable for everyone but until you question it you never know. In my experience always ask the question! Had my partner not suggested it, we would not have been offered it.
Virtual hugs,
Ella