How to manage breast cancer in a liver cirrhosis patient?

Question

Hello doctor,

I was diagnosed with breast cancer (stage 1) during a routine check. But I am more worried about my liver as I have been dealing with cirrhosis for five years. My liver numbers went crazy after my first chemotherapy session. The oncologist reduced the dose, but now I am worried the cancer treatment will not be effective enough. I am getting yellow eyes and swollen ankles. I also read that Tamoxifen can damage the liver. What are my options?

Please help.

Answer 1

Hello,

Welcome to icliniq.com.

I understand your concern.

Cirrhosis is associated with increased levels of estrogen, which may be causally related to breast cancer.

The best line of treatment for stage 1 breast cancer is:

Surgery.
Radiotherapy.
Chemotherapy.
Hormone therapy.
HER2 (human epidermal growth factor receptor 2).
Targeted therapy.
CDK 4/6 (cyclin-dependent kinase 4 and 6) inhibitor therapy.
Immunotherapy.

So, chemotherapy is not the first or the only choice of treatment in your case, and your doctor can switch to another safer line of therapy without interfering with the liver function. Chemotherapy is not recommended when you have liver damage.

Preventive measures:

Avoiding alcohol.
Drinking plenty of water, eating a well-balanced diet, and consuming less fatty, salty, smoked, and cured food.
Do not take more than the recommended doses of medications.
Getting screened regularly.

I hope this has helped you.

Please feel free to reach out to me again in case of further queries.

Thank you.