Mithramycin treatment of intractable hypercalcemia due to parathyroid carcinoma.

Abstract

MITHRAMYCIN, a cytotoxic antibiotic used mainly in the therapy of embryonal tumors of the testis,1 2 3 4 5 has been stated to lower serum calcium levels even in normocalcemic patients.2 , 6 , 7 Its toxic side effects, particularly excessive bleeding, have restricted its reported use to patients with various cancers,1 2 3 4 5 6 , 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 one patient with hyperparathyroidism14 and short-term studies in two patients with Paget's disease of bone.7 We recently administered this drug† to a patient with metastatic parathyroid carcinoma and severe osteitis fibrosa cystica whose hypercalcemia, bone pain and related symptoms could not be controlled by surgical or intensive medical therapy. The drug acutely lowered plasma calcium to . . .