Synchronous Double Primary Cancer Complicated With Severe Hypercalcemia

Hypercalcemia of malignancy (HCM) is an important cancer-related medical emergency. It is a sign of advanced disease with a poor prognosis. We report a case of a 55-year-old man who presented with decreased sensorium, constipation for 4 days, dysphonia, and weight loss for the past three months. The physical examination showed a petrous nodular lesion of the neck in relation to the right sternocleidomastoid muscle. The digital rectal examination showed an enlarged prostate with a nodule of hard consistency. The blood revealed a hypercalcemia of 18.9 mg/dl and a prostate-specific antigen of 319.18 ng/ml. After further investigation, we discovered a squamous cell carcinoma of the larynx with multiple osteolytic bone lesions and a prostate adenocarcinoma. The hypercalcemia was treated with sodium pamidronate with good results. Such severe hypercalcemia demanded further research which revealed that not only the osteolytic lesions contributed to the elevation of calcium serum levels but also the tumor secretion of parathyroid hormone-related protein. This case highlights the importance of not only having a high suspicion for malignancy in patients presenting with hypercalcemia but also being aware of possible additional diagnoses in a patient with an already identified primary pathology.