A 64-Year-Old Man Is Evaluated Because of Fatigue and Shortness

Multiple Choice

A 64-year-old man is evaluated because of fatigue and shortness of breath on exertion. He has had three episodes of urinary tract infection in the past 7 months. On physical examination, he has pallor but is otherwise normal. He denies blood loss, and his stool is negative for occult blood on three measurements. He is anemic (hemoglobin 8.4 g/dL) with normochromic, normocytic indices, and his serum creatinine level is 2.9 mg/dL. The total serum protein level is elevated, and the serum albumin level is low normal. His serum calcium level is 11.8 mg/dL.What is the most likely cause of his symptoms?

A) Multiple myeloma
B) Chronic pyelonephritis
C) Iron deficiency anemia
D) Colon cancer
E) Small-cell lung cancer