Radiology Case Reports (Feb 2024)

Acute pancreatitis related to hypercalcemia as initial manifestation of cancer: About 4 cases

  • Fakhrddine Amri,
  • Youssef Bensalah,
  • Abdelkrim Zazour,
  • Hanane El Aggari,
  • Hajar Koulali,
  • Ouiam EL Mqaddem,
  • Imane Skiker,
  • Zahi Ismaili,
  • Ghizlane Kharrasse

Journal volume & issue
Vol. 19, no. 2
pp. 753 – 759

Abstract

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Acute pancreatitis is a frequent gastrointestinal emergency seen in tertiary care hospitals. While gallstones and chronic alcohol consumption remain the most common causes, other etiologies can also be identified, notably hypercalcemia, which constitutes a rare yet deadly cause of acute pancreatitis. Herein, we report 4 cases of AP related to hypercalcemia from malignancies: 2 cases of multiple myeloma, one case of rectal malignancy, and 1 case of medullary thyroid carcinoma associated with a parathyroid adenoma. Among these cases, one patient died, one developed exocrine and endocrine pancreatic insufficiency, and another progressed to end-stage chronic renal failure. Awareness of hypercalcemia of malignancy as an exceptional etiology of AP is crucial for timely diagnosis and appropriate management of these cases.

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