Abstract

Hungry bone syndrome is a rare complication that usually occurs after parathyroidectomy. In the literature, only a few cases have been reported in prostate cancer patients almost all with osteoblastic bone metastases. We present the case of a 63-year-old patient with osteolytic bone metastases from prostate cancer, who developed a hungry bone syndrome after starting radiotherapy and concurrent hormone ablation with bicalutamide. The patient developed severe electrolyte disturbances, including hypocalcaemia, hypophosphatemia, hypokalaemia, and hypomagnesemia, along with elevated parathyroid hormone (PTH) levels. In this case, we assume that therapy in the presence of osteolytic bone metastases triggered the hungry bone syndrome, most likely through osteoblast activation leading to redistribution of minerals into bone tissue.

Keywords

radiotherapy, palliative treatment