7254 An Unusual Case Of Hypercalcemia

Abstract

Abstract Disclosure: S. Shushtarian: None. M. Balogun: None. T. Kaur: None. Hypercalcemia varies depending on severity. Higher serum calcium levels and more severe symptoms may indicate primary hyperparathyroidism or a malignant cancer. This is a case of a 32 year old female who presented with recurrent history of nephrolithiasis, found to have hypercalcemia of 13.4 mg/dL and parathyroid hormone of 1928.9 pg/mL, with phosphorus of 1.5 mg/dL. Ultrasound of her thyroid revealed a complex nodule arising from the right parathyroid gland measuring 2.2 X 2.0 cm. CT chest revealed diffuse osseous sclerosis secondary to metabolic disorder. Sestamibi scan did not localize any parathyroid adenoma. MRI of the thoracic and lumbar spine showed multiple small enhancing lesions throughout the pelvis and in the left rib, likely brown tumors related to hyperparathyroidism. X-ray of bony prominence on the patient’s left knee revealed a large lytic lesion of the proximal tibial diaphysis measuring 5.1 X 1.9 cm, concerning for aggressive neoplasm. Subsequent left tibial bone biopsy revealed giant cell rich lesions consistent with brown tumor of hyperparathyroidism. Due to our patient’s high calcium levels and large nodule size, she was referred to a tertiary center as the concern for parathyroid carcinoma and post-op hungry bone syndrome was high. Pre-op PTH level was 1408 pg/mL and post-op PTH was 96 pg/mL. The tumor removed was 2.1 cm. Post surgical pathology was consistent with atypical parathyroid adenoma. Patient was referred for genetic testing. An atypical parathyroid adenoma (APA) only accounts for 1.2 to 1.3% of cases of primary hyperparathyroidism. 80-85% of primary hyperparathyroidism is due to typical adenoma, and 10 to 15% of cases are due to hyperplasia or multiple gland disease. APA can often be confused with parathyroid carcinoma (PC), as they both have a 1:1 male to female ratio, high serum calcium levels, symptomatic hypercalcemia, high PTH levels, and fragility fractures. There are studies showing that both APA and PC have loss of nuclear parafibromin immunoreactivity. In addition, neither APA nor PC have any correlation with menopause, hormones, or gene deletions, unlike typical adenomas. Biopsy is necessary for diagnosis as the histological and immunohistochemical differences can differentiate APA vs PC. Histological features include pseudo-capsular invasion, bands of fibrosis, pronounced trabecular growth, nuclear atypia, and prominent nucleoli. Also, APA has a strong membranous staining pattern of E-cadherin, whereas PC has a loss of membranous staining. These differences are essential as although APA and PC clinically present similarly, APA lacks the invasive growth and possibility for metastatic disease that PC has. The likelihood for relapse of APA is low. Presence of malignancy criteria are indicative that a mass is actually PC and not APA. Despite this, APA is still considered a tumor of uncertain malignant potential and requires follow up. Presentation: 6/3/2024