Paraendocrine syndromes.

Abstract

Paraendocrine syndromes are the remote effects of cancer that result from ectopic hormonal production. Recent investigations have concentrated in five areas that include the evaluation of diagnostic studies, the recognition of rare cases, the contribution of secondary hormones, the clinical distinctions of ectopic syndromes from endocrine disorders, and the efficacy of pharmaceutical agents in correcting hormonally induced biochemical imbalances. The three most common paraendocrine syndromes (humoral hypercalcemia of malignancy, the syndrome of inappropriate antidiuretic hormone production, and ectopic Cushing's syndrome) are the subject of this review.