Influence of pharmacological doses of calcitonin on serum beta 2 microglobulin concentration.

The effect has been studied of continuous infusion of calcitonin in 14 hypercalcemic patients and 5 patients with Paget's disease of the bones. In all hypercalcemic patients but one, a good serum calcium lowering effect was obtained. In all subjects there was a significant decrease of serum beta 2 microglobulin concentration during calcitonin infusion (4.

Is serum beta 2 microglobulin a useful marker in patients with breast cancer?

In a study of 19 patients with breast cancer serum beta 2 microglobulin (beta 2 mu) was evaluated as a tumour marker. Serum beta 2 mu did not correlate with tumour stage, survival time, or histological differentiation grade. Nor did a change of serum beta 2 mu reflect a change of tumour mass.