Quantitation of the renal effect of calcitonin in the hypercalcaemia of malignancy.

The renal effect of calcitonin (independent of changes due to variations in sodium excretion) was quantitated in malignancy associated hypercalcaemia. There was considerable inter- and intra-patient variability in response but this was unaffected by tumour type. Humoral hypercalcaemia tended to be resistant to control. In responsive patients the renal effects of calcitonin unlike those described in bone did not diminish with time.