Gout and CLL

[komrush]

Hi,

I'm new to the group. I was diagnosed 15 years ago and so far no treatment - touch wood !

Just wondering if anyone is aware of any studies into the connection, if any, between Gout (Urich Acid) and CLL ?

[AussieNeil Administrator]

Welcome to our community! Thanks for sharing your long watch and wait period; which will encourage our newly diagnosed members .

Allopurinol is both prescribed to prevent further gout attacks and during treatment in high tumour burden CLL patients to prevent tumour lysis syndrome:

en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Allop...

But I don't think this is the connection you were anticipating?

Neil

[komrush in reply to AussieNeil]

Thanks Neil, I'll read it. However, I'm actually trying to find information about studies that investigate if there is a link between Gout and the onset of CLL.

Btw, I too am Australian - born and bread in Melbourne but we now live in the UK.

[AussieNeil Administrator in reply to komrush]

I'm not aware of any association between gout and CLL and a quick Google check didn't find any hits - but an interesting comment that with Chronic Myeloid Leukaemia (CML) gout can be a symptom due to the rapid changeover of cells (i.e. the dying cells release uric acid causing gout).

Looks like moving to the UK will stand you in good stead if you should ever need treatment for your CLL...

Neil

[komrush in reply to AussieNeil]

Yes, it's interesting that there does appear to be a link between Gout and other cancers ie. Prostate, Kidney, Breast etc.

However, I also have not been able to find anything connecting Gout and CLL. Logically, you would think the acidity of a Gout environment would encourage cancer.

I'm still not sure about the UK medical system. It's very bureaucratic and so he wheels move slowly !

[AussieNeil Administrator in reply to komrush]

Uric acid is relatively insoluble, which is why it can crystallize out in joints and cause gout: encyclopedia.com/topic/uric...

Not sure of your presumed logical association between uric acid and cancer, not only because of the relative insolubility of uric acid but because:

1) the supposed link between an acid environment and cancer development/growth is a myth

2) many chemicals in our bodies are acids; but the degree to which they change the pH of the blood varies with the strength as well as the concentration of the acid

scienceblog.cancerresearchu...

Neil

[scarletnoir in reply to AussieNeil]

Just a word of warning (again) about allopurinol - I know it is commonly prescribed for the reasons that Neil lists - and I also know that it works for many people. What seems to be less well understood is that it is positively dangerous for many patients (probably, as many as 1 in 3) - this seems to be under-reported. So IF you are prescribed this medicine, you need to keep a very careful eye out on any side-effects, as you may need to come off it at once. My own reaction was severe - I lost consciousness for 20min or so and was admitted to A&E. I also had joint pains in my fingers - and especially my thumbs - for 12 months or more after taking just one pill.

Patient experiences with this drug are listed on

askapatient.com/viewrating....

[Peggy4]

Congratulations on your 15 years. I've never had gout myself but am aware how painful it can be.

Peggy

[Peggy4]

I've read about a connection between sinus sufferers and CLL which worried me, I was troubled with sinus problems for years

Peggy

[PaulaS Volunteer in reply to Peggy4]

Sinus problems often involve inflammation, and inflammation can aggravate CLL... But maybe there's more to it than that... What did you read, Peggy, about the connection? Do you have ongoing sinus problems? (Apologies if you've talked about this earlier and I've forgotten).

I used to get very bad hay fever every summer, for a couple of months. Eyes, sinuses, nose, throat all got very inflamed.... Antihistamines hardly touched it - I had to have steroid injections every year. But over the years (and I mean MANY years) it gradually eased off. I hardly get it at all now...

Best wishes,

Paula

[Peggy4 in reply to PaulaS]

Hi Paula. I read it on the Cancer Uk website Quote-'Some studies have shown that people who have had certain medical conditions have a slightly increased risk of developing CLL. The conditions include the following.

Pneumonia (chest infection)

Sinusitis

Shingles infection

Auto immune haemolytic anaemia

Chronic osteoarthritis

Inflamed prostate'

Just wondered really. I virtually lived on antibiotics for sinusitis for years then someone recommended cutting out the dairy and improved tremendously. I try not to worry about how I got it anymore although I did in the beginning. For many years now I have had chronic stress caused by family problems. The consultant said that it wasn't a cause but the weak immune system 'allowed it in'. Possibly, who knows?

Peggy

[PaulaS Volunteer in reply to Peggy4]

Thanks Peggy, that's interesting. Sorry you had to suffer with sinusitis for years before realising that cutting out dairy would be so helpful. I've heard some other folk say that too, both for helping sinusitis, and inflammatory bowel conditions.

I'm sure the chronic stress wasn't/isn't helping you either... I do hope your family problems ease soon...

As you say, who knows what causes our illnesses... probably doesn't help to worry about it - so many factors involved. But chronic stress, and chronic inflammation, is never good.. If there are any ways of reducing these, it could be worth thinking about...

Best wishes,

Paula

[Cllcanada Top Poster CURE Hero]

Uric acid etc. can build up during treatment, when the dead B cells break open and spill their contents into the blood. In this situation the kidneys, may not be able to clear these toxins and the result is Tumour Lysis Syndrome, TLS, which unless treated rapidly can cause death...

To prevent this, high risk patients are given a prophelactic med like allopurinol, same drug used to treat gout, sometimes...

Some treatments typically Lenalidomide and Venetoclax are prone to TLS, but it can occur on others as well...

~chris

[virdieblue]

I have been having foot problems and when I told my oncologist he immediately ordered a test for uric acid in my blood (negative)