The effect of thyrocalcitonin therapy and phosphate deprivation on tumoral calcinosis

Six siblings were screened for clinical and biochemical evidence of tumoral calcinosis. The 3 brothers showed all the characteristic manifestations of this entity. Two of them were treated for an initial period of 6 months with large doses of thyrocalcitonin, with virtually no response. After a 9-month equilibration period they were treated by phosphate depletion, and at the end of 6 months they were re-investigated. There was no appreciable objective or radiological difference in the extent of the masses. It was concluded that, in these 2 patients, surgical excision of the tumours was the only feasible form of therapy.