Hypercalcemia in a patient with B-cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia: a role of proinflammatory cytokine

Am J Med Sci. 2001 Aug;322(2):109-12. doi: 10.1097/00000441-200108000-00009.

Abstract

The complication of hypercalcemia is reported to occur only in 2.5-4.8% of patients with acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL). We herein report a 53-year-old female patient with early B-cell ALL, complicated with extreme hypercalcemia (15.2 mg/dL). Bone X-ray revealed osteolytic changes in many locations. Serum 1,25(OH)2vitaminD3 and parathyroid hormone (PTH) levels were suppressed below normal ranges on admission. The circulating parathyroid hormone-related protein (PTHrP) value was within a normal range (< 1.1 pmol/L). Serum concentrations of tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-alpha, interleukin (IL)-6, and soluble IL-2 receptor were increased to 72 pg/ml, 25.3 pg/ml, and 1469 U/ml, respectively. Following the induction chemotherapy, the serum calcium level was promptly normalized accompanied with decreases in serum TNF-alpha, IL-6 and soluble IL-2 receptor values to 34 pg/ml, 6.35 pg/ml, and 737 U/ml, respectively. Serum PTHrP values remained within detectable levels. To our knowledge, this is the first case of B-cell ALL in a patient who developed hypercalcemia with elevated concentrations of TNF-alpha, IL-6, and soluble IL-2 receptor, but not related to PTHrP. High circulating proinflammatory cytokines may have contributed to development of ALL-induced osteolysis and hypercalcemia in the present case.

Publication types

  • Case Reports

MeSH terms

  • Biomarkers, Tumor / blood*
  • Bone Marrow / pathology
  • Bone Neoplasms / blood*
  • Bone Neoplasms / complications*
  • Burkitt Lymphoma / blood*
  • Burkitt Lymphoma / complications*
  • Burkitt Lymphoma / diagnostic imaging
  • Calcitriol / blood
  • Cytokines / blood*
  • Female
  • Humans
  • Hypercalcemia / blood
  • Hypercalcemia / etiology*
  • Interleukin-6 / blood
  • Middle Aged
  • Neoplasm Proteins / blood
  • Parathyroid Hormone / blood*
  • Parathyroid Hormone-Related Protein
  • Proteins / metabolism
  • Radiography
  • Radionuclide Imaging
  • Receptors, Interleukin-2 / blood
  • Skull Neoplasms / blood
  • Skull Neoplasms / complications
  • Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha / metabolism

Substances

  • Biomarkers, Tumor
  • Cytokines
  • Interleukin-6
  • Neoplasm Proteins
  • PTHLH protein, human
  • Parathyroid Hormone
  • Parathyroid Hormone-Related Protein
  • Proteins
  • Receptors, Interleukin-2
  • Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha
  • Calcitriol