Gene/Protein Disease Symptom Drug Enzyme Compound
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Query: UMLS:C0153690 (bone metastases)
 6,382 document(s) hit in 31,850,051 MEDLINE articles (0.00 seconds)

Although hypercalcemia is a well-known complication of malignant diseases, hypocalcemia seems to be a rather rare one. A 34-yr-old woman with advanced breast cancer who presented hypocalcemia is described. She had generalized multiple osteolytic bone metastases which were progressive in spite of chemo-endocrine and radiation therapy. She was admitted because of severe bone pain and dyspnea caused by bilateral pleural effusion. Laboratory examination on admission showed that the serum calcium was 9.6 mg/dl, serum total protein 5.9 g/dl, serum inorganic phosphorus 4.6 mg/dl, and serum alkaline phosphatase 29.6 King-Armstrong units. The serum calcium gradually fell to 7.0 mg/dl on the 45th hospital day when the serum total protein was 6.8 g/dl and she complained of paresthesia in the extremities. On the 58th day, severe tachycardia and hypotension developed and she died of congestive heart failure on the 67th hospital day. At that time the serum calcium was 5.4 mg/dl. During her hospital course, the plasma parathyroid hormone levels were examined repeatedly and were 0.4, 0.6, 0.6 and 0.7 ng/ml (normal; less than 0.5 ng/ml). Autopsy revealed that cancer invaded the space between the thyroid and the trachea and no parathyroid glands could be found even in the mediastinum. Microscopically the parathyroid glands were replaced completely by the cancer cells. These observations indicate that metastasis of breast cancer to the parathyroid glands caused relative hypoparathyroidism, resulting in hypocalcemia. In addition, congestive heart failure which was refractory to digitalis and diuretics might have been caused by impaired contractility of the myocardium associated with hypocalcemia.
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PMID:A case of advanced breast cancer associated with hypocalcemia. 688 61

For several decades bisphosphonates have been used to reduce skeletal related events in patients with both osteoporosis or bone metastases. Under long term application, besides the known therapy side effects, a new clinical picture has been described within the last few years. This is osteonecrosis of the jaws, which is characterized by its difficulty in treatment. Besides exposed jaw bone, the start of the disease usually lacks any symptoms. The typical clinical symptoms then are foetor ex ore, swelling, exsudation, loosening of teeth, pain or paresthesia. Later oro-antral/nasal or oro-cutaneous fistula can develop. The X-ray shows persisting tooth sockets after extractions and later cloudy radio-lucency, sequestra or fractures. The patient exposed to bisphosphonate can be grouped according to the risk for osteonecrosis: high risk patients with intravenous bisphosphonate therapy and additional chemo-, radiation or corticoid therapy--predominantly patients with a malignant underlying disease and bone metastases low risk patients with an oral bisphosphonate therapy without additional chemo-, radiation or corticoid therapy--preferably patients with non-corticoid-induced osteoporosis. Before starting a bisphosphonate therapy possible causes of infection should be treated and risk of injuries to the mucosa should be reduced according to the individual risk profile. This is supplemented by information of the patient about the risk of necrosis and the possibilities for prevention. Regular dental recall under bisphophonate therapy is emphasised for early recognition of possible problems. Prophylaxis is recommended for the prevention of periodontal infection combined with a follow up of removable denture for possible ulcera. Generally, conservative treatment measures are preferred to surgical ones. Inevitable operations are carried out non-traumatically using broad spectrum antibiotic prophylaxis until the day of suture removal (not before day 10). Long term follow up examinations are recommended.Patients with dental implants inserted before a bisphophonate therapy should be subject to intensive recall examinations. For patients undergoing or following a bisphosphonate therapy the indication for dental implants should be as strict as for patients following head and neck radiation therapy. In the present for patients with osteonecrosis, even after healing, dental implants are regarded as contra-indication. Therapy of the necrosis often requires general anaesthesia, hospitalisation, naso-gastral feeding tube and intravenous, systemic antiinfective treatment. The necrosis is removed completely and a tension free wound closure with vascularised tissue is intended. A literature review shows the metabolic effect of biphosphonates, the known pathogenesis of the bisphosphonate-induced jaw necrosis. It is essential to develop interdisciplinary communication, aiming at a joint care for this group of concerned patients and involving not only those medical disciplines, which order and use bisphosphonates, but especially dentists and maxillofacial surgeons.
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PMID:[Osteonecrosis of the jaws by long term therapy with bisphosphonates]. 1696 Jun 97

We report a case of metastatic breast cancer with leptomeninges and multiple bone metastases that showed an excellent response to the combination of trastuzumab and capecitabine; therapeutic effect was evaluated by MRI at follow-up. A 44-year-old woman underwent modified radical mastectomy in February 1997. In April 2003, a tumor at the right basis cerebri and multiple bone metastases were noted, and in October 2003, she underwent enucleation of the tumor. Histopathologically, the tumor was consistent with a basal skull metastasis from breast cancer. In March 2004, the patient began to experience pain, weakness, and paresthesia of both legs. She was diagnosed, with leptomeningeal metastasis (LM) from breast cancer using MRI. In December 2005, the combination of trastuzumab and capecitabine administered as sixth-line treatment was very effective for LM. Although it is generally very difficult to diagnose LM and assess the therapeutic effect with MRI, in this case, it was possible. To our knowledge, there has been no report in the literature describing the combination of trastuzumab and capecitabine for LM from breast cancer. Although the mechanism underlying the efficacy of this combination is still unknown, the treatment would be worth trying because of its few side effects in extensively treated patients with LM from breast cancer. To confirm the antitumor efficacy of trastuzumab and capecitabine, however, further investigations are required.
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PMID:Successful treatment of leptomeningeal metastases from breast cancer using the combination of trastuzumab and capecitabine: a case report. 1847 15

A 70's man was admitted to our hospital because of lumbago and paresthesia in the right lower extremity. He underwent surgical resection of gastric gastrointestinal stromal tumor (GIST), which was classified to the high-risk group according to the modified-Fletcher's classification, one and half years ago. CT, MRI, and PET-CT showed metastases to a part of the liver (S3-4), the 12th thoracic vertebra, and the sacral bone. Subsequently, radiotherapy for the bone metastasis and administration of imatinib mesylate were started. Four months after the initial admission, the liver and the bone metastatic lesions achieved PET-complete response (CR). This report shows that multimodality therapy with radiotherapy and imatinib mesylate was effective for liver and bone metastases after complete resection of gastric GIST.
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PMID:[A case of liver and bone metastases after complete resection of gastric GIST effectively treated with radiotherapy and imatinib mesylate]. 2383 56