follow up results

zorrospouse

follow up results

zorrospouse

I just had my 3yr check up and hthey found my alk phos ( liver & bone tissue measuring) levels have gone up 60 points in the last 3-6 months.  Has anyone else had this and what outcome was there.  I gather it could mean just more arthritis or liver mets.  Whatever I'm not sleeping well these days.

simmonba

Happened to my friend and neighbour - here is a transcript of what her doctor wrote her in an email.  I know this doesnt have a ton of credibility, but it may give you some areas to look for more info or questions to ask.  Turns out my friend had a stress fracture, but it was a tense few days till further bone scan and abdominal ultrasound showed her bones and liver were clear of mets.  Good luck.  - BArb

 "Alkaline phosphatase is something that is released into the bloodstream by accident. It plays no role there. By the time it's detectable in the blood, it's a waste product.

Elevated alk phos levels are interesting in that when they are INCREASED, they indicate an increased activity in one of the two possible main locations where this enzyme originates, namely bone and in the bile ducts of the liver.

People who have problems within the biliary tract such as gallstone disease or bile duct cancer will tend to have elevated levels. People who are dealing with recent bony fractures or who have tumors growing inside of bone will also have elevated levels.

These are situations where the blood level of alk phos is a MARKER that indicates disease. Again, it's like driving by a house and seeing that the trash can is full out on the street. If you see that the trash can full, you at least know that people are living inside.

The same is true of alk phos. If you see an excess of it, you know that something is going on in one of the places it lives."

zorrospouse

Thank you for the info, I no longer have a gallbladder but do have arthritis so that may mean a simple answer to what caused the increase.  Unfortunely any one with cancer once will always worry that it is back when we have a abnormal test result.