The Hypercalcemia of Cancer

Abstract

HYPERCALCEMIA is one of the most common metabolic complications of cancer. It has fascinated clinicians since it was first recognized 60 years ago by Zondek et al.¹ It is now being recognized more commonly, as is primary hyperparathyroidism, because of the advent of routine measurement of the serum calcium level.^{2 , 3} The estimated incidence of the hypercalcemia of cancer is 150 new cases per million persons per year.^{2 , 3} This compares with an annual incidence of approximately 250 new cases of primary hyperparathyroidism per year.^{2 , 3} However, the relative frequency of cancer as a cause of hypercalcemia is even greater in hospital populations, . . .