Two cases of humoral hypercalcemia of malignancy in metastatic cholangiocarcinoma

Abstract

Humoral hypercalcemia of malignancy (HHM) is rarely associated with cholangiocarcinoma (CC), and represents dismal prognosis. A 63-year-old male was admitted for evaluation of an intrahepatic mass. He was diagnosed with HHM associated with locally advanced CC. As the tumor responded to the concurrent chemoradiotherapy with capecitabine and cisplatin, serum calcium level was normalized. However, according to the disease progression, he suffered recurrence of HHM and he expired approximately one year after initial diagnosis. A 68-year-old male who presented with abdominal pain was diagnosed with metastatic CC. After the eighth cycle of gemcitabine and cisplatin, progression of the disease was found with HHM. He was treated with the best supportive care, until his demise approximately one month after the diagnosis of HHM. We report on two cases of HHM associated with CC that demonstrate strong correlation between hypercalcemia and disease burden. Copyright. © 2013 by the Korean Cancer Association.