Causes of liver test abnormalities in newly diagnosed cancer patients and the investigation of etiological factors

ABSTRACT

Objectives

In this study, we aimed to investigate the causes of liver test abnormalities in newly diagnosed patients naive to anti-tumoral therapy.

Method

This study included a total of 490 patients with ALT levels > 5X ULN on liver function tests at the initial presentation to our clinic. Data from 247 (50.4%) patients diagnosed with cancer (cohort A) and 243 (49.6%) patients without cancer (cohort B) were compared with regard to the etiology of liver test abnormalities and the risk factors.

Results

The most common etiological factor in cohort A was presence of liver metastasis (31.2%, n = 77). In the comparison of the two groups with regard to etiological factors; the rates of liver metastasis [31.2% vs 0%, (p < 0.001)], drug-induced liver toxicity [30/4% vs 19.8%, (p = 0.007)], pancreaticobiliary pathology [21.5% vs 14%, (p = 0.03)] and chronic viral hepatitis [14.2% vs 7.4%, (p = 0.02)] were higher in the cohort A. The rate of NAFLD was higher in the cohort B [6.9% vs 42.2% (p < 0.001).

Conclusion

In our study, the most common cause of liver test abnormalities was the presence of liver metastasis in cohort A and NAFLD in cohort B.

KEYWORDS:

• Cancer
• alanine aminotransferase
• liver function tests
• liver test abnormalities
• liver metastasis

Declaration of financial/other relationships

The authors have no relevant affiliations or financial involvement with any organization or entity with a financial interest in or financial conflict with the subject matter or materials discussed in the manuscript. This includes employment, consultancies, honoraria, stock ownership or options, expert testimony, grants or patents received or pending, or royalties. Peer reviewers on this manuscript have no relevant financial or other relationships to disclose.

Author contributions

Zuhat Urakçı; conception and design of study, writing of the article; Senar Ebinç; data analysis and interpretation; Zeynep Oruç; conception and design of study, writing of the article; Ziya Kalkan; acquisition of clinical data; Muhammet Ali Kaplan; data analysis and interpretation; Mehmet Küçüköner; acquisition of clinical data; Abdurrahman Işıkdoğan; data analysis and interpretation.

Data availability statement

Data available on request from the author(s).

Additional information

Funding

This paper was not funded.