Overview
Normal calcium regulation
Kidney function
Hypercalcemia occurs in 10%-20% of people with cancer, although it occurs much less often in children. The cancers most often
associated with hypercalcemia are cancer of the breast and lung, as well as
certain cancers of the blood, particularly multiple myeloma. Early diagnosis and treatment with fluids and drugs that lower calcium levels in the blood can
improve symptoms in a few days, but diagnosis may be difficult. Symptoms of
hypercalcemia can appear gradually and may resemble symptoms of many cancers
and other diseases. Early diagnosis and treatment are not only lifesaving in
the short term, but may also increase the patient's ability to complete cancer therapy and improve the patient's quality of life.
Patients who have advanced terminal cancer and are no longer receiving
treatment for the cancer may choose not to be treated for hypercalcemia. This
option should be considered by a patient and his or her family in advance,
before symptoms of hypercalcemia occur.
Normal calcium regulation
Healthy people consume about the same amount of calcium in their diet as their
bodies lose in urine, feces, and sweat. Hypercalcemia associated with cancer
disrupts the body's ability to maintain a normal level of calcium.
Kidney function
Normal, healthy kidneys are able to filter large amounts of calcium from the
blood, excrete the excess not needed by the body, and retain the amount of
calcium the body does need. However, hypercalcemia may cause such high levels
of calcium in the body that the kidneys are overworked and become unable to
excrete the excess. Some tumors produce a substance that can cause the kidneys
to excrete too little calcium. This results in a large amount of urine being
produced, which then causes dehydration. Dehydration may lead to appetite loss, nausea, and vomiting, which make the dehydration worse. Inactivity caused
by weakness and tiredness may increase the amount of calcium in the blood by
increasing the amount of calcium that is absorbed from the bones. Calcium
deposits may collect in the kidneys, causing permanent damage.
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