High ALP post Rads / Start Arimidex - anyone else?

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RMC19
RMC19 Member Posts: 27
edited June 2021 in Not Diagnosed With a Recurrence or Metastases but Concerned

Hello! Really scared. Been on Arimidex (right after finishing Rads so 2+ months) and my ALP has been rising quite steadily ever since. They test me every month because monitoring estrogen and FSH. Right now I am at 153 and getting concerned (I have read it could be bone mets, but then read on here that some folks have had it due to Arimidex and it is also on their brochure as a potential issue, but not too common). All other blood work is fine (ALT, AST, etc.), just the ALP is up, which leads me to the bone issue. Calcium is also good.

My levels did increase during Chemo AC-T (finished 3.19), but ALP was OK after, and started this upward trend at the end of rads (28 sessions, hitting everything - clavicle, breast, and LN).

My MO is very "wait and see" - but I am freaking out. Did anyone have this and it normalized?

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  • KMom57
    KMom57 Member Posts: 252
    edited August 2020

    RMC mine has been rising too. Hasn’t normalized yet but I did have a PET to check, and it was clear. MO says it’s probably an inflammation marker. I’ll let you know when mine starts dropping again as I hope it will.Hope that makes you feel better.

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  • RMC19
    RMC19 Member Posts: 27
    edited September 2020

    Thank you! i just finished scans because I was terrified- all clear. Such a relief, but it is so confusing! keep me updated and I'll do the same!

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  • KMom57
    KMom57 Member Posts: 252
    edited September 2020

    So glad to hear your scans were good!I’ll keep you updated.

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  • RMC19
    RMC19 Member Posts: 27
    edited June 2021

    Just to update - My ALP went down after scans, but then went up again after my exchange surgery. MO says it is a good sign that they went down (if it was something bad then it wouldn't fluctuate - just rise). Hope you are doing well!!!!

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  • Melbo
    Melbo Member Posts: 346
    edited June 2021

    I don’t have any hormonal treatment, but my ALP was rising consistently for several months after chemo, surgery, and rads. My MO wasn’t concerned, but he sent me for a liver ultrasound to make me feel better, and it showed that I had a fatty liver (NAFLD to be precise). If you read up on it NAFLD is fairly common for breast cancer patients — either from the chemo or the anti-hormonale.

    I know it’s really easy to get freaked out by it — trust me I was too — but there really could be a mostly benign reason for the high ALP. NAFLD is annoying (had to give up booze and tweak my diet) but I was so relieved I haven’t even cared

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