Abstract
The administration of calcium in large doses is beneficial in many cases of advanced malignant neoplastic disease. Pain is partially or completely relieved and there is a temporary improvement in the patient's general condition. The use of calcium in such patients rests entirely on an empirical basis, since there is no satisfactory explanation for its temporary beneficial effects. The following case-history is reported because of the influence calcium apparently had on metastatic carcinoma in bone.
Z. P. White female age 44. The patient had a radical mastectomy in 1930 for carcinoma of the right breast. This was followed by 10 deep X-ray treatments to the upper right chest. There were no complaints until the spring of 1932 when severe aching pains developed in the pelvis, thighs and knees. After administration of sedatives this disappeared until the fall. She was seen at the University of Chicago Clinics October 7, 1932, complaining of severe pains as described above, of 3 weeks' duration, necessitating almost continuous rest in bed. Other complaints were sleeplessness due to pain, inappetence, loss of weight and inability to stand or walk.
Examination revealed a middle-aged woman suffering from pain referred to the pelvis, thighs and lower back. Roentgenograms of the pelvis showed extensive osteolytic and osteoblastic metastases in the pelvis and upper femurs. Especially prominent were osteolytic metastases in the pubic bones on each side of the symphysis, a large osteolytic metastasis in the anterior superior spine of the left iliac bone and a large osteoblastic metastasis in the trochanteric region of the left femur.
The patient was given 12 intravenous injections of 5 cc. ten per cent calcium gluconate 3 times a week, and at the same time began taking calcium lactate by mouth, 1 gm. after meals 3 times a day.
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