Chemo and Hepatitis B (or C)

[hope4life]

Hi all...I'm new on this forum. I'm so glad to have found this site. Everyone seems so helpful and supportive!

Anyone out there go through chemo and also have Hep B (or C)? I know there are special considerations for this group as chemo is stressful on the liver and can cause dormant Hep B to become active, putting the liver at risk.

If this is you (or you know someone), what chemo regimen was recommended? Mom was exposed to Hep B at birth and will be starting adjuvant chemo soon. I'm afraid this will jeopardize her liver and am wondering if there are combinations of chemo out there that are less toxic on the liver than others.

Any info is much appreciated...thanks in advance.

[Don M]

Hi and welcome: that would be a good question for Dr. West:

http://www.onctalk.com/

Just register at his site and you should get an answer within a day or two.

Don M

[DrWest]

I don't know of any specific recommendations, except that I would follow the liver function tests (blood tests) particularly closely during treatment (I follow those tests regularly anyway, but I'd be especially vigilant in someone who is high risk for developing problems). Some chemo drugs, such as taxol and taxotere, or some others, are metabolized largely in the liver, so all other things being equal I might avoid those and try to use other agents, such as gemcitabine. I don't know of any real evidence, though, that results are better with some treatments than with others.

Overall, the cancer is serious business, so often you just have to deal with it and try to manage problems that may emerge as best you can.

-Dr. West

-Dr. West