Document Type
Report
Publication Date
9-1-2025
Abstract
A 73-year-old woman with a remote history of successfully treated primary hyperparathyroidism was referred to our office because of multiple skeletal fractures and proximal muscle weakness. Prior laboratory evaluation demonstrated hypocalcemia, vitamin D deficiency, elevated PTH, and elevated alkaline phosphatase. Updated evaluation in our clinic additionally showed hypophosphatemia prompting measurement of serum fibroblast growth factor 23 (FGF23). FGF23 proved to be markedly elevated prompting consideration of tumor-induced osteomalacia. Positron emission tomography with Cu-64 oxodotreotide revealed an enhancing focus in the left thoracic spine that was confirmed on magnetic resonance imaging to be a 1.5-cm extradural mass. The patient underwent surgical resection of the mass by the neurosurgery spine service. Pathologic analysis demonstrated a 2.4-cm mesenchymal tumor; mRNA in situ hybridization was positive for FGF23. Laboratory studies 12 weeks postoperatively showed near normalization of the serum FGF23 as well as improvement in her other metabolic abnormalities and clinical symptomatology. This case exemplifies the necessity of measurement of serum inorganic phosphate and a high level of suspicion for hypophosphatemic osteomalacia in patients with numerous fractures beyond that expected for their degree of osteoporosis.
Creative Commons License

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-No Derivative Works 4.0 License.
Recommended Citation
Nagelberg, Steven B.; Biscoveanu, Mihaela; Bix, Barbara; Andrews, Carrie; and Prasad, Srinivas, "Diagnostic Journey in the Recognition of Oncogenic Osteomalacia" (2025). Jefferson Health - Northeast Papers (formerly Aria Health Papers). Paper 6.
https://jdc.jefferson.edu/ariafp/6
Language
English
PubMed ID
40900910
Included in
Diagnosis Commons, Endocrinology, Diabetes, and Metabolism Commons, Musculoskeletal Diseases Commons, Neoplasms Commons


Comments
This article is the author’s final published version in JCEM Case Reports, Volume 3, Issue 10, 2025, Article number luaf179.
The published version is available at https://doi.org/10.1210/jcemcr/luaf179. Copyright © The Author(s) 2025.