Why is my cancer treatment on hold due to high liver counts?

Elevated liver enzymes can temporarily pause treatment as doctors ensure it's safe to continue, and this cautious approach helps protect overall health during cancer care. That feeling of being "exposed" when treatments are delayed is completely understandable - many patients in melanoma treatment experience similar anxiety when their routine is disrupted, but these pauses are often brief once the medical team identifies the cause.

Been there done that but mine shot up after my first treatment of Opdualag. It kept going up and they gave me treatment #2. I had decided I was switching my local cancer center just to make it easier. My new oncologist identified it right away. I had to wait almost three months until #3. It's never a good thing when your Dr uses the word "glitch." Anyway, had treatment #4 a couple of weeks ago. I'm on 20mg of prednisone to keep my enzymes in check and weekly blood draw to see. Hopefully treatment #5 soon. I get the nervousness. Hang in there. Message back any time. 👍🙏😜

Thank you for the response David. So, they have you on the steroids while you get your treatments? That may be the plan for me as well. They aren’t even sure what caused my liver counts to all of a sudden shoot up but going Monday or Tuesday to check blood again. If it’s coming down then won’t have to do the steroids, if is still high then will have to be put on them. Just hate missing a treatment plus I have heard a lot of good results from the Opdualag. Hope you are doing well with everything and thank you again

Yes sir it does. When I switched oncologists and treatment locations they were quite high. So we delayed treatment in order to bring them down. Prednisone did that. The third treatment caused them to go up again so we've been managing it with the steroids, 20 mg per day. Never been on them before. There are some minor side effects. They make me feel like I can do anything. That's good and bad. 🤔 Made me hungry so I've gained back some of what I lost at the first. Mostly good. But it's allowing me to continue the infusions. 👍 Hopefully a CT scan after my next one to look at my lung nodules. 👀 🙏🙏 Hang in there!!

Hi David, well my counts were still high so started me on the prednisone and you are right, not liking how it is making me feel. They have me at 80 mg a day, feel jittery and just weird, guessing will be facing some sleepless nights. Have to get blood work again next week to see if counts are coming down but can’t start the Opdualag until they are within range. Doc feels it was the Opdivo that caused them to rise but have been in treatment for almost two years now with little to no side effects so I guess it caught up with me. Thanks for your responses and sharing your experience. I hope and pray your next scan goes well, will be thinking about you. All the best.

Hang in there. The prednisone can definitely jack you up. Hopefully not too much in the sleepless category. When mine were high I went to 50mg, 50, 40, 40, 30, well you get the drift. I'm on 20 daily. It's keeping my numbers down. Are you having weekly blood draws? That allows us to adjust. My next infusion of Opdualag is on April 8. Hopefully a CT scan after that, All to best to you. I'll keep you in my prayers. 🙏

Yea they want weekly blood draws to monitor the levels. I just finished my second round of radiation a couple weeks ago, have a brain MRI on Monday then my next Pet scan in May. My last couple brain MRI showed a small spot but they think it is a meningioma, which they tell me are mostly benign, but needs monitoring. The prednisone definitely will take some getting use to, will be on 80 mg for a month then they will monitor with weekly draws and I am guessing, like you, will be on a maintenance dose to keep things in check. I just hate having a delay in treatment because it makes you feel kind of exposed or something, like there is nothing in there to fight this off. This cancer definitely takes over one’s life as well as the mind. Thank you again for your kindness and taking the time to respond. Hoping and praying your next scan shows great results, let us know.

I had to delay my Opdualag for almost 3 months because of my high liver enzymes. That was after treatment #2. My new oncologist is watching me closely with the weekly blood work. Treatment #5 is April 8. After that we will do a CT scan since the PET scan doesn't light up for some reason. And yes, this thing can absolutely dominate you but do your best to be as normal as possible. Think positive!! Talk soon. 🙏🙏