parathyroid hormone related peptide in plasma

Indications

• useful for distinguishing primary hyperparathyroidism from hypercalcemia due to malignancy
• useful as a marker in the management of patients with tumor-associated hypercalcemia

Reference interval

• < 1.5 pmol/L (adult)

Increases

• humoral hypercalcemia of malignancy
  • lymphomas
  • squamous cell carcinoma of the lung
  • breast cancer

Specimen

• plasma (heparin)
• collect in tubes that contain protease inhibitor (aprotinin & leupeptin)
• chill specimens immediately in icewater
• plasma should be separated in a refrigerated centrifuge, then frozen immediately at -20 degrees C in plastic vials

More general terms

• special chemistry test

Additional terms

• hypercalcemia of malignancy
• parathyroid hormone [PTH]-related protein