Hypercalcemia Complicating Breast Cancer

The incidence of significant hypercalcemia in 305 women with disseminated breast cancer was 7.2%. 13 patients developed hypercalcemia spontaneously and eight patients developed hypercalcemia shortly after initiation of additive hormone therapy. One patient developed fatal hypercalcemia shortly after adrenalectomy. All patients had bone metastases documented by X-rays or bone scans. Treatment with volume expansion, diuretics, and steroids was successful in 11 of 19 trials and Mithramycin therapy in very low dosage was successful in 4 of 5 trials. 7 of the 22 hypercalcemia patients expired and four of these deaths were directly as a result of hypercalcemia.