title: Symptomatic hypocalcemia following combined calcitonin and mithramycin therapy for hypercalcemia due to malignancy.
abstract: Three patients with malignant disease received the usual recommended doses of mithramycin and calcitonin, either concurrently or concomitantly, because of severe life-threatening hypercalcemia. All three patients developed severe, symptomatic hypocalcemia. The mechanisms for this phenomenon are discussed. A possible synergism between calcitonin and mithramycin may prove to be hazardous in such patients and this possibility must be kept in mind when these agents are being considered as a combination treatment for hypercalcemia.
mesh_terms: D002116:Calcitonin / Q000009:adverse effects* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D004357:Drug Synergism; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D006934:Hypercalcemia / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000209:etiology; D006996:Hypocalcemia / Q000139:chemically induced*; D008875:Middle Aged; D009369:Neoplasms / Q000150:complications*; D008926:Plicamycin / Q000009:adverse effects* / Q000627:therapeutic use
chemical_list: D002116:Calcitonin; D008926:Plicamycin