Colon Cancer Research Today is a free monthly online journal that collates and summarizes the latest research about Colon Cancer, including details on causes, treatment, symptoms.

Paraneoplastic hypercalcemia with adenosquamous carcinoma of the colon.

Fujita T, Fukuda K, Nishi H, Takao T, Ohmura Y, Mano M, Komatsubara S

Department of Cancer and Thoracic Surgery, Okayama University Graduate School of Medicine and Dentistry, Okayama 700-8558, Japan. cqs03255@nifty.com

Hypercalcemia is a well-known manifestation of paraneoplastic syndromes associated with a variety of malignancies. However, colon cancer has only rarely been associated with hypercalcemia. Here we present the first case of adenosquamous carcinoma of the sigmoid colon in a patient who was found to have hypercalcemia associated with parathyroid hormone-related protein (PTHrP), with no radiological evidence of metastasis to other organs. A 78-year-old woman was admitted to our hospital complaining of lower abdominal pain. Physical examination and computed tomography revealed a tumor, 13 cm in diameter, in the sigmoid colon. Laboratory data showed an elevated serum calcium level (11.2 mg/dl). Primary colostomy was performed. After the primary operation, the patient was found to have hypercalcemia and an elevated PTHrP level. We performed sigmoidectomy, total hysterectomy, and partial urinary bladder resection 1 month after the primary operation, and both PTHrP and calcium levels immediately returned to normal. The histopathologic diagnosis was poorly differentiated adenosquamous carcinoma. The patient died due to tumor recurrence 4 months after the second surgery.

Published 2 May 2005 in Int J Clin Oncol, 10(2): 144-7.
Full-text of this article is available online (may require subscription).

© 2004-2008 Colon Cancer Research Today. All Rights Reserved.