Tumor-Induced Hypercalcemia
Hypercalcemia is associated more commonly with osteolytic
bone metastasis in patients with myeloma, breast cancer, or
lung cancer, although the extent of metastatic bone disease does
not correlate with the incidence or severity (Mundy, 1991).
Tumor-induced hypercalcemia occurs when calcium is released
during bone breakdown caused by metastasis, overwhelming
the kidney’s capacity to filter it properly or to maintain calcium
homeostasis. Half of the circulating calcium is albumin-bound.
Therefore, serum calcium values should be “corrected” by adjusting
for the serum albumin level to evaluate accurately calcium
status using the following formula (Jones, 1999).