LIVER ENZYMES

ALTERATIONS IN THE PROFILE DURING BREAST CANCER TREATMENT OF DIABETIC AND CARDIAC PATIENTS.

Abstract

Objective: To study the effect of breast cancer treatment on liver enzymes in
diabetic and cardiac breast cancer females. Study Design: Cross-sectional type of study.
Setting: Liaquat National Hospital Karachi. Period: January 2008 to January 2010. Patients
and Methods: Total 47 breast cancer patients. Out of these, 22 were diabetic and 25 were
cardiac patients, visiting the oncology OPD of the hospital. Patients with metastasis to distant
organs were excluded from the study. Treatment was carried under the supervision of an
oncologist. Samples were collected twice during the study. First sample was collected at disease
presentation before starting any type of treatment and second time, sample was collected
14 weeks after the last chemotherapy dose. Statistical analysis: Data was analyzed using
statistical package (SPSS version 11.0). “Students t-test”and analysis of variance (ANOVA) was
used to analyze the means and standard deviations of quantitative/continuous variables. In
all statistical analysis p<0.05 was considered significant. Results: In all patient groups after
treatment alkaline phosphatase was significantly high as compared to that before treatment
(p<0.05) whereas alanine transaminase increased significantly without including Tamoxifen
in the treatment. Variation pattern of liver enzyme was the same in both patient groups.
Conclusions: Altered profile of liver enzyme was similar in both patient groups therefor the
variations cannot be attributed to hyperglycemia in diabetic females and the alterations in liver
enzymes were attributed to liver damage by chemotherapy and fatty infiltration of liver induced
by Tamoxifen.