Spontaneous return of normocalcemia. Association with long-term hypoparathyroidism.

Abstract

A 58-year-old man was admitted to the hospital with the superior vena cava (SVC) syndrome. The patient had a 13-year history of hypocalcemia resulting from surgically induced hypoparathyroidism, which he controlled with calcium lactate. Nine months before admission, he discontinued his daily therapy and still remained in a normocalcemic state. After he had the SVC syndrome, a small-cell tumor of the lung was found. His serum calcium level decreased after radiation of the tumor mass, suggesting that the tumor may have been secreting a substance producing the normocalcemia. A substance was extracted from the tumor that reacted immunologically like parathyroid hormone.

• Authors: A A Licata, J G Guccion, R J Glowitz
• Journal: JAMA (JAMA) Vol. 240 Issue 5 Pg. 468-9 (Aug 04 1978) ISSN: 0098-7484 [Print] United States
• PMID: 660897 (Publication Type: Case Reports, Journal Article)

Chemical References

• Hormones, Ectopic
• Parathyroid Hormone
• Calcium

Topics

• Calcium (blood)
• Carcinoma (analysis, metabolism)
• Hormones, Ectopic (metabolism)
• Humans
• Hypoparathyroidism (etiology)
• Lung Neoplasms (analysis, metabolism)
• Male
• Middle Aged
• Neoplasm Metastasis
• Parathyroid Hormone (analysis)
• Postoperative Complications
• Remission, Spontaneous
• Thyroidectomy
• Time Factors