title: Cholangiocarcinoma presenting with hypercalcemia and thrombocytopenia.
abstract: Malignant hypercalcemia and thrombocytopenia may result from bone metastasis of cholangiocarcinoma (CC). Our case was 53-year-old man admitted to emergency department with symptoms of anorexia, weight loss, nausea, vomiting, and general fatigue in February 2012. His laboratory findings showed hypercalcemia and thrombocytopenia. CT showed a large multinodular mass in the right lobe and, extending through left lobe of the liver. We considered the diagnosis of hypercalcemia of malignancy with elevated calcium levels and suppressed PTH level with the existence of skeletal bone metastasis and the absence of parathyroid gland pathology. Treatment of hypercalcemia with IV saline, furosemide, and calcitonin improved the patient symptoms. After the 8th day of admission, calcium level, thrombocytopenia, and other symptoms were normalized. Patient was sustained surgically inoperable and transferred to medical oncology department for the purpose of palliative chemotherapy and intended radiotherapy for bone metastasis. Hypercalcemia relapsed 4 weeks after discharge and patient died at the 5th month after admission due to disseminated metastasis. We should be aware of CC with symptomatic hypercalcemia and rarely low platelet count. The correction of hypercalcemia provides symptomatic relief and stability of patients.
authors.affiliation: General Surgery Department, Sisli Etfal Teaching and Research Hospital, Sisli, 34173 Istanbul, Turkey.
authors.forename: Muharrem
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Battal
authors.affiliation: Arnavutkoy Government Hospital General Surgery Department, Arnavutkoy, 34555 Istanbul, Turkey.
authors.forename: Bünyamin
authors.identifier: 0000-0003-4484-2552
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Gürbulak
authors.affiliation: General Surgery Department, Sisli Etfal Teaching and Research Hospital, Sisli, 34173 Istanbul, Turkey.
authors.forename: Ozgür
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Bostanci
authors.affiliation: Pathology Department, Sisli Etfal Teaching and Research Hospital, Sisli, 34173 Istanbul, Turkey.
authors.forename: Müveddet Banu
authors.initials: MB
authors.lastname: Yılmaz
authors.affiliation: Medipol University Hospital General Surgery Department, Bagcılar, 34214 Istanbul, Turkey.
authors.forename: Yasar
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Ozdenkaya
authors.affiliation: Bezmi Alem University Hospital General Surgery Department, Fatih, 34093 Istanbul, Turkey.
authors.forename: Oguzhan
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Karatepe