Tumor Humors and the Hypercalcemias of Cancer

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Abstract
Hypercalcemia occurs frequently in the presence of a wide variety of neoplasms. In a number of cases the elevated plasma calcium appears to have a humoral etiology. On occasion, it has been shown that the tumor inappropriately produces parathyroid hormone or a parathyroid hormone-like substance.1 In other cases, however, it has not been possible to measure parathyroid hormone either in the patient's plasma or in tumor extracts despite the use of highly sensitive immunologic procedures.2 In such cases, which are not uncommon, other causes for the hypercalcemia must be sought.As knowledge of the endocrine and pharmacologic regulation of calcium . . .