Endocrine practice : official journal of the American College of Endocrinology and the American Association of Clinical Endocrinologists
-
Case Reports
The emerging role of denosumab in the long-term management of parathyroid carcinoma-related refractory hypercalcemia.
The main cause of death in patients with parathyroid carcinoma is parathyroid hormone (PTH)-induced hypercalcemia. To date, the management of hypercalcemia has been based on the use of bisphosphonates and calcimimetic agents. In recent reports, the use of denosumab has shown encouraging results in cases of refractory hypercalcemia of malignancy. Our objective is to present a case of successful management of resistant hypercalcemia due to parathyroid carcinoma with denosumab, to review similar cases from the literature, and to propose denosumab's use in the clinical management of PTH-induced refractory hypercalcemia. ⋯ Based on the above findings of the effectiveness of denosumab in controlling refractory hypercalcemia, its safety in renal failure and the fact that denosumab may reduce PTH-induced bone loss, we endorse its use in the management of hypercalcemia in patients with parathyroid carcinoma and perhaps other conditions with PTH-induced hypercalcemia.