title: Tumor-induced hypercalcemia: predictors of early mortality.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To delineate the demographics and predictors of early mortality associated with tumor-induced hypercalcemia (TIH) amongst cancer patients in Pakistan.
  
  
  METHODS
  A tertiary care hospital in Pakistan.
  
  
  METHODS
  Retrospective analysis of patients with cancers, presenting with TIH and admitted to the hospital between January 1988 and December 1997, was carried out.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Eighty-four patients (56 males and 28 females) were diagnosed to have TIH. The mean age at the time of presentation was 55 +/- 14 years. Twenty-five percent of the patients each had multiple myeloma and hepatocellular carcinoma whereas 20% of the patients had underlying breast cancer. Other malignancies included lung cancer, gall bladder cancer and colorectal carcinomas. Univariate analysis revealed male sex (p < 0.04), underlying diagnosis other than multiple myeloma (p < 0.025) and a high TLC (p < 0.05) at presentation, as predictors of an early mortality.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Multiple myeloma, hepatoma and breast carcinoma were common cancers causing TIH. One-third patients died within first few days. Male sex, a high white cell count and an underlying diagnosis other than multiple myeloma predicted early mortality.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pathology, Aga Khan University Hospital, Karachi.
authors.forename: I
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Siddiqui
authors.forename: H S
authors.initials: HS
authors.lastname: Bhally
authors.forename: Q
authors.initials: Q
authors.lastname: Niaz
authors.forename: I A
authors.initials: IA
authors.lastname: Burney
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D001943:Breast Neoplasms / Q000097:blood; D006528:Carcinoma, Hepatocellular / Q000097:blood; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D006934:Hypercalcemia / Q000209:etiology* / Q000401:mortality*; D008113:Liver Neoplasms / Q000097:blood; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009101:Multiple Myeloma / Q000097:blood; D009369:Neoplasms / Q000097:blood*