High calcium levels (hypercalcaemia, hypercalcemia)

A high calcium level in your blood is called hypercalcaemia. It’s pronounced high-per-kal-see-mee-a. It is a serious but treatable condition. The American spelling is hypercalcemia.

High blood calcium levels sometimes happen if your cancer is advanced. It is less likely to happen if your cancer is at an early stage.

It is important to contact the team caring for you if you have symptoms of high calcium. A high blood calcium level can make you feel very unwell. Your doctor will want to start treatment as soon as possible.

Treatment for high calcium (hypercalcaemia)

The aim of treatment is to lower your calcium level and relieve any symptoms. Your treatment will depend on the amount of calcium in your blood. You may need to spend some time in hospital to get your calcium levels down.

You might have one or more of the following treatments.

Fluids

Fluids through a drip help flush the extra calcium out of your system. Drinking plenty of fluids will help too if you can manage it.

Steroids

You might have steroids to help reduce your calcium levels. You may have them as tablets or into your bloodstream as an injection.

Bisphosphonates

Bisphosphonates (bis-fos-fon-ates) are drugs that help to get your calcium levels down. You can have these drugs through a drip into a vein or as tablets. Which type you need depends on how high your calcium levels are. Your doctor will decide on the best treatment for you.

Bisphosphonates can also help to reduce pain from cancer that has spread to the bone. They can also help to stop damaged bones breaking. You might have bisphosphonate tablets to take home to stop the calcium building up in your blood again.

Read more about bisphosphonates and how they work

Bisphosphonates can sometimes cause side effects. Tell your doctor if they make you feel unwell. They can also make your calcium level go too low (hypocalcaemia). This should be picked up by blood tests. It is also worth being aware of the possible symptoms of low calcium levels. For example, numbness or tingling in the feet and hands, and around the mouth.

Symptoms of low calcium

Calcitonin

You might have another drug called calcitonin to help lower your blood calcium level. It can also help to stop the breakdown of bone. You have this drug as an injection. You might have it once a day or 3 or 4 times a day. How often you have it and for how long depends on:

• how high your calcium level is

• how well it works

You will have a blood test to check your calcium levels.

Denosumab

Denosumab is a type of targeted drug called a monoclonal antibody. It helps to strengthen the bones and prevent fractures for some types of cancer. 

It is recommended in adults with some types of cancer that have spread to the bones. You have it as an injection just below the skin. 

You might have denosumab if you have high calcium and bisphosphonates have not brought your calcium levels down. Or you might have it if you are unable to have bisphosphonates for a medical reason.

Read about denosumab and the side effects

Other drugs

You might also have drugs to help relieve the symptoms of high calcium, such as sickness, constipation, pain or confusion.

Stopping other medications

Your doctor might suggest you stop taking other medications if they could be making your hypercalcaemia worse. These include:

• calcium supplements

• lithium (a type of mood stabiliser)

• some medicines for heartburn and acid reflux

• some water tablets (diuretics)