Hypercalcemia in malignancies is a frequent complication, mostly affecting patients with solid tumors or multiple myeloma. Calcium elevation is induced by direct bone infiltration of a tumor mass or through calcium liberation from the skeleton by a humoral mediator. The latter mechanism is referred to as humoral hypercalcemia of malignancy (HHM). Frequent mediators of HHM are parathyroid hormone-related peptides (PTHrP). We report a patient with chronic lymphocytic leukemia and hypercalcemia induced by PTHrP. In contrast to solid tumors and myeloma, PTHrP-induced HHM is very rare in low-grad lymphoma including chronic lymphocytic leukemia. Therapeutical approaches consist of cytoreductive treatment and calcium-lowering therapy with bisphosphonates.

Keywords:
Chronic lymphocytic leukemia, Hypercalcemia, Lymphoma, Malignancy, Parathyroid hormone-related peptide
© 2010 S. Karger AG, Basel
2010
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