Dear Doctor,

My mother aged about 59 years suffering from pelvis cancer since 8 months and having treatment for the same duration.
Treatment given: 18 radiations,5 chemos(weekly 50ml) day care chemo,3 nos of intracavitary radiations and 2 nos chemos each chemo for 21 days.
Now before 3rd chemo,patient under gone blood test,observed all like wbc,rbc,hemoglobine,platters were normal.But serum creatinine levels raised to 1.7(normal levels 0.8-1.4).
I want know the reason to raise and how to bring it to safe level.

Thanking you,

P.Haranadh babu.

I don't think you'll find doctors answering questions here.

But one possible cause for kidney damage, and therefore elevated creatinine levels, following cancer treatment would be Tumor Lysis Syndrome. Probably BUN is also elevated.

The reason is that when cancer cells die, they release substances (like purines, potassium, phosphorous) that are harmful to the kidneys in large amounts.

Her number is not too high. Make sure she drinks lots of water. Avoid foods with lots of the above substances. Is she receiving allopurinol?

Calcium can also become low.

Serum Creatinine is one of the two (other one is BUN) kidney blood test. Abnormalities can be seen as the Chemotherapeutic agents have a tendency to affect the kidneys. Also sometimes patients get dehydrated due to vomiting and or inadequate fluid intake. These have to be monitored closely by her doctor. Hopefully as she finishes her treatments, her renal function can improve. Emphasize to her the importance of maintaining fluid intake and nutrition while undergoing Chemo-Radiation treatments.