Severe hypercalcemia: A rare and unusual presentation of acute lymphoblastic leukemia

Swaminathan Dhivyasree, Jeevarathnam Dhivyalakshmi, Shuba Sankaranarayanan, Julius Xavier ScottJournal of Cancer Research and Therapeutics 2018 14(12):1244-1246 Hypercalcemia is a rare and unusual complication of childhood malignancies. Acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) presenting with hypercalcemia and lytic bone lesions is very rare in children. Here, we report a case of a 4-year-old girl with ALL who presented with severe hypercalcemia and radiological evidence of osteolytic lesions. Malignancies are the most common parathyroid hormone-independent cause of hypercalcemia. Severe hypercalcemia is a life-threatening emergency that should be addressed immediately. Effective treatment includes intense hydration, frusemide, calcitonin, and bisphosphonate in addition to the treatment of underlying cause.
Source: Journal of Cancer Research and Therapeutics - Category: Cancer & Oncology Authors: Source Type: research