Metastatic Parathyroid Carcinoma Research Articles

Mithramycin treatment of intractable hypercalcemia due to parathyroid carcinoma.

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 . . .

Production of parathyroid hormone by metastatic parathyroid carcinoma

Parathyroid hormone, measured by radioimmunoassay, was found in the pulmonary artery, the pulmonary vein and peripheral blood of a patient with parathyroid carcinoma metastatic to the lungs. A significant gradient of parathyroid hormone across the pulmonary vascular bed, the site of the metastases, provided strong evidence that these metastases were producing and releasing parathyroid hormone. Lowering of blood calcium, induced by EDTA, caused no further release of parathyroid hormone. This suggests autonomous production of parathyroid hormone by metastases.

Metastatic parathyroid carcinoma and hormonal chemotherapy. Case report and response to hexestrol.

Goepfeiit, Helmutii M.D.; Smaiit, Chaules H. M.D.; Rochun, Donald B. M.D. Author Information