Hypercalcemia in bitches with malignant mammary neoplasms

Alefe Caliani Carrera,Marcela Baggio Luz ,Sandra Maria Simonelli ,Ana Paula Frederico Rodrigues Loureiro Bracarense ,Isabela Ferraro Moreno ,Claudia Russo

doi:10.31533/pubvet.v15n08a894.1-8

Abstract

Malignant hypercalcemia is a paraneoplastic syndrome. It has been detected in several types of malignant tumours in dogs, such as lymphomas, and also in mammary neoplasms, without the exact determination of the mechanisms involved in its occurrence as well as its incidence. In this study, 100 bitches with mammary malignant neoplasia, diagnosed by histopathological analysis, were submitted to clinical evaluation for disease staging, haematological evaluation, serum biochemistry, including renal function tests, hepatic and total calcium serum levels and ionized fraction. These parameters were analyzed at the time of the initial attendance and 30 days after the treatment. The most frequent histological pattern was carcinoma in mixed tumors (26%). In 52% of the diseased dogs, hypercalcemia was observed by means of ionized calcium dosing, which was not verified by means of total calcium dosing, where only 4% presented hypercalcemia. No correlation was found between hypercalcemia and the histological pattern of the neoplasms. However, the correlation was verified between hypercalcemia and more advanced stages of the disease, mainly from stage III, suggesting that the detection of hypercalcemia may be correlated with worse prognosis, showing the importance of the research concerning the presence of paraneoplastic syndromes in bitches with mammary neoplasms.

Highlights

Mammary cancer in dog corresponds to approximately 52% of all canine tumours, being considered an alteration of great interest in veterinary oncology, because to its high incidence, they represent a wide topic of research on diagnosis methods, treatments and prognostic factors (Cassali et al, 2014; Queiroga & Lopes, 2002)
Hypercalcemia in the canine species has been reported in several types of tumours, including mammary neoplasms, its frequency has been more frequently associated with lymphomas and neoplasms of the anal sacs (Bergman, 2013; Withrow et al, 2020)
Hypercalcemia associated with malignant mammary cancer was related to the production of a polypeptide called parathyroid hormone protein (PTHrP) and other cytokines by neoplastic cells

Summary

Introduction

Mammary cancer in dog corresponds to approximately 52% of all canine tumours, being considered an alteration of great interest in veterinary oncology, because to its high incidence, they represent a wide topic of research on diagnosis methods, treatments and prognostic factors (Cassali et al, 2014; Queiroga & Lopes, 2002). Hypercalcemia in the canine species has been reported in several types of tumours, including mammary neoplasms, its frequency has been more frequently associated with lymphomas and neoplasms of the anal sacs (Bergman, 2013; Withrow et al, 2020). Hypercalcemia associated with malignant mammary cancer was related to the production of a polypeptide called parathyroid hormone protein (PTHrP) and other cytokines by neoplastic cells. These factors, in addition to promoting bone calcium resorption, influence the release of growth factors present in the bone matrix, stimulation the growth of malignant cells (Khosla, 2001). Hypercalcemia is frequently cited in articles on mammary cancer in dogs, its mechanism still not well understood

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