Treatment of Tumoral Calcinosis with Phosphorus Deprivation

Tumoral calcinosis is a familial disease, usually associated with hyperphosphatemia, that is manifested by the deposition of calcific masses around major joints. Surgical excision of the masses has been the only partially effective treatment. A new therapeutic approach, consisting of a low-calcium and low-phosphorus diet and large oral doses of aluminum hydroxide-containing antacids, resulted in marked clinical and radiographic improvement in a patient with tumoral calcinosis. Calcium and phosphorus balances became negative with this treatment, and serum alkaline phosphatase and urinary hydroxyproline levels fell to nearly normal. We conclude that this mode of therapy is of significant value in treatment of tumoral calcinosis.