Hypercalcemia, a Complication of Hormone Therapy of Advanced Breast Cancer

Summary 1.Hypercalcemia is a potential serious complication during androgenic and estrogenic hormone therapy of patients with advanced breast cancer and obvious osseous metastases. 2.Eleven cases of hypercalcemia occurring during steroid hormone administration are presented. 3.Metabolic studies of patients with “induced hypercalcemia” demonstrated an elevated serum calcium, hypercalcuria, altered serum and urinary phosphorus levels and occasionally renal insufficiency. 4.Immobilization, possiblc acceleration of tumor growth, and removal of barriers to the spread of cancer cells may contribute to the development of the hypercalcemia. The resemblance to the metabolic effects of parathyroid hormone is described in one case. 5.The detection and management of hypercalcemia are an essential part of steroid hormone therapy of advanced breast cancer.