Is Low Potassium A Sign Of Cancer
While there is evidence that low potassium levels can be influenced by cancer, there is no direct evidence that low potassium is a sign of cancer. More research is needed to fully understand this complex relationship and its implications.
What is Potassium?
Potassium is a crucial mineral that’s absolutely vital for the function of cells, nerves and muscles. The primary role of potassium is maintaining the correct level of acidity in cells and providing the electric charge to nerve cells [1]. Potassium is the most abundant intracellular cation (charged atom). Furthermore, it’s known as an electrolyte that helps transmit electrical impulses and plays a vital role in numerous different activities that occur in the body, including the maintenance of blood pressure, normal water balance, moving muscles, generating electrical nerve impulses, regulating digestive health, controlling heart rhythm and maintaining a healthy pH balance [2].
Potassium is also crucial for the normal function of the muscles that control your heartbeat and breathing [3]; for moving nutrients into cells and waste products out of cells [4]; for the normal function of the heart and the kidneys; for correct muscle contraction and nerve transmission; and for normal blood pressure [5].
Understanding Potassium levels
Normal potassium levels in the body are between 3.5 and 5.0 millimoles per litre (mmol/L) of blood [3, 6]. A level below this range is known as hypokalaemia. Hypokalaemia is the most common of all electrolyte disturbances in which a patient has low potassium levels in the bloodstream. More than 20 per cent of patients receiving hospital treatment are affected [7].
Hypokalaemia
Potassium levels below 3.6 mmol/L are generally described as hypokalaemia. Low-grade hypokalaemia (3.0-3.5 mmol/L) will rarely produce symptoms, but more pronounced decreases can be accompanied by muscle weakness, lethargy and constipation. Life-threatening muscle necrosis and paralysis, cardiac arrhythmias and induction of respiratory arrest can develop with serum potassium levels ≤ 2.5 mmol/L. [7] From this, it follows that cancer can be a factor which promotes hypokalaemia.
Is low Potassium a sign of Cancer?
Low potassium levels are not a direct indicator of cancer, however, it can be influenced by cancer. Hypokalaemia can be observed in cancer patients who suffer from factors, such as undernutrition, gastrointestinal losses, redistribution abnormalities, excessive β2-agonist use, and renal losses [8]. Subtypes of cancer that are known to be associated with hypokalaemia include ectopic ACTH- and insulin-secreting tumours and mucin-secreting, potassium-losing adenocarcinoma of the colon [9]. Colorectal cancer, for instance, has been linked to significant differences in serum potassium concentrations, particularly in the advanced stages of the disease [10].
Also, dramatic differences in the serum potassium concentration were noted between the different stages of the same malignancy, a fact that strongly indicates a correlation between hypokalaemia and the growing tendency of cancer [11]. The exact role of potassium (K+) in the development and progression of cancer has not been explored yet and thus remains elucidated [12].
Hypokalaemia can be a side effect of treatments for cancer. Some anticancer drugs such as platinum-containing drugs can cause a deficiency in potassium [10].
Similarly, other anticancer drugs, including alkylating agents, vinca alkaloids and at least some monoclonal antibodies, can cause hypokalaemia [10].
In addition, some chemotherapies also play a role in the development of hypokalaemia, such as cisplatin, cetuximab, eribulin and ifosfamide [6].
Conclusion
In conclusion, while there is evidence that low potassium levels can be influenced by cancer, there is no direct evidence that it is a sign of cancer. More research is needed to fully understand this complex relationship and its implications.