Double Trouble: A Unique Case of Hypercalcemia Caused by Two Underlying Etiologies.

Abstract

Hypercalcemia has a variety of causes, with primary hyperparathyroidism and malignancies being the most frequently reported. We present the case of a patient presenting with chronic abdominal pain, constipation, and weight loss who was found to have hypercalcemia. The patient was initially diagnosed with colonic actinomycosis, but further investigations revealed an intra-abdominal diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (DLBCL). We suspect that the leading cause of hypercalcemia was the DLBCL, likely exacerbated by actinomycosis. Actinomycosis and DLBCL can have a similar presentation, so misdiagnosis or coexistence of both conditions should be suspected when a lack of response to one specific therapy is observed.

• Authors: Eloy E Ordaya, Jose Arriola-Montenegro, Liliana Arriola-Montenegro, Mel L Anderson
• Journal: Cureus (Cureus) Vol. 14 Issue 1 Pg. e21084 (Jan 2022) ISSN: 2168-8184 [Print] United States
• PMID: 35155033 (Publication Type: Case Reports)
• Copyright: Copyright © 2022, Ordaya et al.