UTILITY OF MEASURING SERUM PARATHYROID HORMONE-RELATED PROTEIN-CONCENTRATION IN LEUKEMIC PATIENTS WITH HYPERCALCEMIA FOR ASSESSING DISEASE STATUS

Objective: To evaluate serum parathyroid hormone-related protein (PTHr P) as a marker of hypercalcemia in leukemic patients. Design and Metho ds: We measured the serum levels of PTHrP, lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) and calcium in three patients with hypercalcemia due to leukemia. Res ults: Serum levels of PTHrP, LDH and calcium were elevated at admissio n in all patients, and these levels were reduced to within the normal range after chemotherapy. However, normalization of serum PTHrP concen tration occurred more rapidly than normalization of serum LDH levels a fter chemotherapy. The increase in serum PTHrP concentration accompani ed leukemic cell proliferation and preceded the increases in serum LDH and calcium. Serum LDH concentration increased, but serum PTHrP conce ntration did not after administration of granulocyte colony-stimulatin g factor. Conclusion: These findings suggest that serum PTHrP may be a more useful marker than serum LDH or calcium in assessing the status of leukemic patients with hypercalcemia.