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What Causes Elevated Calcium Levels?
Question: I have a history of having elevated calcium levels ranging from 10.2 to 10.9 with normal pth levels. Just had a pth-rp level drawn and it was 16. What does this mean? Is cancer something that should be considered?
Brief Answer:
Serum albumin levels or diet rich in calcium
Detailed Answer:
Hi XXXXXXX
Thanks for using Healthcaremagic.
I went through your query and understood your concerns.
Here is what the "normal calcium level of 9- 10.5 mg/dl" your level was little bit higher than normal 10.9 mg/dl.
The amount of total calcium varies with the level of serum albumin, a protein to which calcium is bound. Reduced protein level in blood do affect calcium levels.
But the level is too small as compare to be taken in to consideration. The first thing to do is to look at your diet and see whether you eat so much food stuffs that are rich in calcium. If this is the case, then you may want to control it.
Better to get serum protein levels done and Vitamin D measurements. Vitamin D levels should also be monitored because it is a fat soluble vitamin and can accumulate in body if overdosed.
High calcium is linked with cancer but it is often a late stage manifestation of cancer. Unless there are red flags to think you are at increased risk of having cancers now, i will not want to turn to this now. The way cancers increase blood cancer is by either destroying bones and releasing calcium or producing a substance called parathyroid hormone related peptide which increases blood calcium. If it were bone destruction, then you must have had bone pains and you are not reporting any at this time. Also, dosing the blood levels of this this related peptide may shed more light on this. However, the levels of high calcium in cancers re always very high and not just a mere borderline value like in your case. So not to worry about cancer.
Hope it helps , please feel free to contact me in case of further concerns/ query.
Thanks for the query.
Serum albumin levels or diet rich in calcium
Detailed Answer:
Hi XXXXXXX
Thanks for using Healthcaremagic.
I went through your query and understood your concerns.
Here is what the "normal calcium level of 9- 10.5 mg/dl" your level was little bit higher than normal 10.9 mg/dl.
The amount of total calcium varies with the level of serum albumin, a protein to which calcium is bound. Reduced protein level in blood do affect calcium levels.
But the level is too small as compare to be taken in to consideration. The first thing to do is to look at your diet and see whether you eat so much food stuffs that are rich in calcium. If this is the case, then you may want to control it.
Better to get serum protein levels done and Vitamin D measurements. Vitamin D levels should also be monitored because it is a fat soluble vitamin and can accumulate in body if overdosed.
High calcium is linked with cancer but it is often a late stage manifestation of cancer. Unless there are red flags to think you are at increased risk of having cancers now, i will not want to turn to this now. The way cancers increase blood cancer is by either destroying bones and releasing calcium or producing a substance called parathyroid hormone related peptide which increases blood calcium. If it were bone destruction, then you must have had bone pains and you are not reporting any at this time. Also, dosing the blood levels of this this related peptide may shed more light on this. However, the levels of high calcium in cancers re always very high and not just a mere borderline value like in your case. So not to worry about cancer.
Hope it helps , please feel free to contact me in case of further concerns/ query.
Thanks for the query.
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Above answer was peer-reviewed by :
Dr. Prasad
Answered by
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