Hypercalcemia in malignant paraganglioma due to parathyroid hormone-related protein

Horm Res. 1998;50(4):217-21. doi: 10.1159/000023277.

Abstract

A 15-year-old boy had hypercalcemia in association with malignant retroperitoneal paraganglioma. He had suppressed circulating levels of intact parathyroid hormone, whereas parathyroid hormone-related protein (PTHrP) immunoreactivity was elevated in plasma. Both the serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D and 1,25-dihydroxyvitamin D levels were normal. Preoperatively the patient required control of hypercalcemia with intravenous pamidronate therapy. His circulating calcium and PTHrP concentrations became normal after a successful surgical resection of the primary retroperitoneal tumor. To our knowledge, this is the first reported case of elevated PtHrP levels in a patient with paraganglioma which resolved postoperatively.

Publication types

  • Case Reports

MeSH terms

  • Adolescent
  • Diphosphonates / therapeutic use
  • Humans
  • Hypercalcemia / etiology*
  • Hypercalcemia / therapy
  • Male
  • Pamidronate
  • Paraganglioma / blood
  • Paraganglioma / complications*
  • Paraganglioma / surgery
  • Parathyroid Hormone-Related Protein
  • Proteins / metabolism*
  • Retroperitoneal Neoplasms / blood
  • Retroperitoneal Neoplasms / complications*
  • Retroperitoneal Neoplasms / surgery
  • Tomography, X-Ray Computed

Substances

  • Diphosphonates
  • PTHLH protein, human
  • Parathyroid Hormone-Related Protein
  • Proteins
  • Pamidronate