Sudden rise in liver blood test

User

Posted 14 Nov 2022 at 21:32

Hello there.

Sorry, I've started a new thread as I'm not able to find the one I was posting on.

Paco, my husband, radical prostatectomy, 4 years ago had recurrence and has been on Eligard from April. He also had 30 IMRT sessions (June and July) to two spots: an iliac lymph node and a seminal vesicle bed and to the whole pelvis just in case any micromets. So far so good. He is seeing the oncotherapist next week and today we have been sent the blood work report previous to meet with the onco. His PSA stays less than 0.03, fine, isn't it? Or should it be lower by now?

The fact is that suddenly and for the first time ever, the liver biochemistry GOT and GPT have considerably rised. His diet and everyday routine haven't changed, so I'm quite a bit worried and I wonder if the COVID vaccine (4th dose) he had two weeks ago may have had anything to do with it. I've googled and read that in some cases, supposedly, the vaccine could trigger an autoinmune hepatitis, any idea about it?

On the other hand, one day before having the blood sample taken he happened to have the Eligard jab, so, could there be any connection?

I'd be thankful to read your thoughts.

Best for all of you XX

Lola

User

Posted 14 Nov 2022 at 22:19

COVID vaccination can increase liver enzyme levels (they're called AST and ALT now - it seems that GOT and GPT are old names). It can also significantly increase PSA level, although that wasn't a problem in your case. Might be an idea to retest a month after the COVID vaccination.

User

Posted 14 Nov 2022 at 22:23

I agree with Andy’s comments. His PSA at <0.03 is excellent.

Hope the liver tests come back within limits on the next test.

Ido4

User

Posted 14 Nov 2022 at 22:53

Thanks to you both for taking the time to write these words for me

Your mean that the rise in liver enzymes may not necessarily indicate liver injure, and can be a temporary alteration that will go over time?

I hope the onco will want to know about this issue in a short period of time. Otherwise we'd try to have a new blood test by other means.

Thank you very much.

Best,

Lola

User

Posted 14 Nov 2022 at 23:12

Well, it's still a liver injury, but hopefully a temporary one. The liver is very good at recovering from temporary injuries. These sorts of things can happen when you get a virus too, but usually go unnoticed.

I can relate a similar tail.
Normal range for ALT is 0-42. Mine was 21 in a blood test a year before prostate cancer.

After starting on Tamoxifen, mine went up to 398 - nearly 10x the max level, which alarmed my GP. (His first suspicion was that I'd become an alcoholic, but I don't drink at all.)

Suspecting it was the Tamoxifen which some people's livers don't like, I halved the Tamoxifen dose as I didn't want to come off it.

Subsequent ALT levels were 49 (3 months afterwards), 29 (5 months afterwards), 25, 17, 21, 15, so livers do recover if you don't keep them under stress for a long time.

User

Posted 14 Nov 2022 at 23:21

I get you now, Andy. I hope it goes that way, and I'm glad your liver recovered from Tamoxifem injure.

Can we say it's similar to the damage produced by alcohol and, once you cut off enzymes come back to normal?

User

Posted 15 Nov 2022 at 12:17

Excessive alcohol damage is probably not a good comparison, because it's not usually temporary but has been ongoing for some time before being discovered. This can cause fatty liver disease which in time generates a higher risk of liver cirrhosis and liver failure or liver cancer. It's often not discovered until there's extensive liver cirrhosis which is not reversible.

The raised enzyme levels for other reasons will cause non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD), but that can reverse before causing liver cirrhosis if the cause of the liver injury is removed or is temporary and goes away of its own accord.

User

Posted 15 Nov 2022 at 13:09

Fatty liver desease is the same as steatosis?

My husband's always been said to have steatosis, I assume they know from some other enzyme or maybe from some of the image tests he's gone throughout the prostate journey? Never was told it was a big problem. In fact, he barely drinks some wine for lunch. And this is the first time ever these enzymes are up.

What I'm most concerned about, as I told you yesterday, is the fact that the vaccine could have triggered a latent idiopathic hepatitis that never had shown and now awakes and start to "do the job".

Anyway, I'll better take your opinion that his liver has been injured by the vaccine and will come back to normal; otherwise, my mind won't stop wondering and making me feel scared.

Thank you and greetings from Spain.

Lola.

Edited by member 15 Nov 2022 at 13:18 | Reason: Not specified

User

Posted 15 Nov 2022 at 13:25

He can be screened for Hepatitis C if you think he's at any risk.

There was a screening van in a local shopping centre in the summer which I took the opportunity to pop in for. Look out for Fibroscan Screening.

User

Posted 15 Nov 2022 at 13:33

We are meeting with the onco next week, so I hope he takes this subject into account. If not, we will ask, of course.

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