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Calcium metabolism in cancer. Studies using calcium isotopes and immunoassays for parathyroid hormone and calcitonin
Author(s) -
Coombes R. C.,
Ward M. K.,
Greenberg P. B.,
Hillyard C. J.,
Tulloch B. R.,
Morrison R.,
Joplin G. F.
Publication year - 1976
Publication title -
cancer
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 3.052
H-Index - 304
eISSN - 1097-0142
pISSN - 0008-543X
DOI - 10.1002/1097-0142(197611)38:5<2111::aid-cncr2820380539>3.0.co;2-q
Subject(s) - medicine , calcitonin , calcium , endocrinology , parathyroid hormone , calcium metabolism , primary hyperparathyroidism , hyperparathyroidism , excretion , urinary calcium , bone resorption , isotopes of calcium
Abstract Studies of calcium metabolism in 38 patients with cancer indicated that: 1) intestinal absorption of calcium was reduced in patients with skeletal metastases and in those with hypercalcemia; 2) calcium‐47 space (a measurement of bone turnover rate) was high in the patients with skeletal metastases; 3) hypercalcemic patients had higher urinary and endogenous fecal excretion of calcium than those who were normocalcemic; 4) levels of plasma immunoreactive parathyroid hormone were similar in normo‐ and hypercalcemic patients, but the levels for a given serum calcium in malignant disease were lower than those in primary hyperparathyroidism; and 5) some patients had elevated calcitonin levels. Hypercalcemia complicating malignant disease is therefore not due to hyperabsorption or diminished excretion of calcium, and a low calcium diet is unlikely to benefit these patients. Measurement of 47 Ca space could be of use in monitoring therapy of patients with skeletal metastases, and measurement of plasma parathyroid hormone could be useful in the differential diagnosis of hypercalcemia.