Paraneoplastic hypercalcemia secondary to canine mammary tumors

ABSTRACT

Background: Paraneoplastic syndromes are complexes symptom that occur at a distinct site from the primary tumor or its metastasis by the production of hormone by the tissue in which the tumor appears. Paraneoplastic hypercalcemia is associated with an abnormal elevation of serum calcium levels and the mainly tumor related to this syndrome in canine is lymphoma, anal sac apocrine gland adenocarcinoma and multiple myeloma. In mammary tumors, the most frequent tumor that affect female dogs, this syndrome was also observed. The aims of this study were to evaluate serum calcium levels in female dogs with malignant mammary tumors and correlate calcium levels with clinicopathological parameters. Materials, Methods & Results: It was evaluated fifty-one female dogs with mammary carcinomas (simple carcinomas and carcinoma in mixed tumors) for serum calcium levels using colorimetric test. Clinical-histopathological data as spray status, pseudopregnancy, tumor size, ulceration, clinical staging, histopathological type and tumor grade were also evaluated in association with serum calcium levels. All dogs were treated with unilateral mastectomy. It was observed that 18 animals (35%) had calcium serum levels increased (>11.5 mg/dL) and 56% (10/18 cases) of these animals had serum calcium levels higher than 12 mg/dL. All dogs with hypercalcemia were asymptomatic, including two female [...]