Hypercalcemia in patients with breast cancer: a survival study.

ABSTRACT

In a retrospective study survival after hypercalcemia in breast cancer patients has been investigated. A group of 72 patients were treated with bisphosphonate APD [3-(amino-1,1-hydroxypropylidene)bisphosphonate] and third-generation amino-containing bisphosphonates between January 1980 and October 1992. A median survival of 4.5 months was found. In a multivariate analysis, four independent prognostic factors for survival have been found the interval between first relapse and hypercalcemia, sites of metastases at the moment of hypercalcemia, primary treatment, and the level of serum alkaline phosphatase. Patients with a "flare" reaction on tamoxifen treatment and patients with a normal serum alkaline phosphatase level and bone metastases only had a prolonged survival. Hypercalcemia associated with visceral metastases carried a very poor prognosis. The level of serum calcium in this series of patients was no prognostic indicator for survival.