Major combined electrolyte deficiency during therapy with low-dose cisplatin, 5-fluorouracil and interferon alpha: report on several cases and review of the literature [ISRCTN62866759].
BACKGROUND
Low-dose Cisplatin and Interferon alpha treatment of solid tumors rarely has been associated with severe hypocalcaemia. To the authors knowledge the phenomenon has not been reported previously in patients with pancreatic carcinoma.


METHODS
A patient with resected adenocarcinoma of the pancreas was treated with adjuvant radio-chemo-immunotherapy using a combination of low-dose Cisplatin, 5-Fluorouracil and Interferon alpha together with external beam radiation. Severe hypocalcaemia without signs of acute renal failure or electrolyte disturbance occurred within 2 days at the 4th week of treatment and required intensive care treatment.


CONCLUSIONS
Combination of biological and cytotoxic therapies may increase the incidence of severe hypocalcaemia in pancreatic cancer. Oncologists should remain attentive of this problem as more highly active regimes become available.
Hoffmann
Katrin
K
Department of Surgery, University of Heidelberg, Im Neuenheimer Feld 110, 69120 Heidelberg, Germany. katrin.hoffmann@med.uni-heidelberg.de
Marten
Angela
A
Lindel
Katja
K
Fritz
Stefan
S
Jager
Dirk
D
Buchler
Markus W
MW
Schmidt
Jan
J