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

Abstract

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.