Parathyroid carcinoma

Symptoms of parathyroid cancer are primarily caused by high levels of calcium in the blood (hypercalcemia), and may affect various parts of the body. They include:

• Bone pain
• Constipation
• Fatigue
• Fractures
• Frequent thirst
• Frequent urination
• Kidney stones
• Muscle weakness
• Nausea
• Poor appetite
• Vomiting

It is important to note that only about 1 out of 200 people with primary hyperparathyroidism have parathyroid cancer.

Parathyroid cancer is extremely hard to diagnose.

Your doctor will perform a physical exam and ask about your medical history.

In about half of all cases, feeling the neck with the hands (palpation) can reveal a cancerous parathyroid tumor.

Cancerous parathyroid tumors tend to produce very high amounts of parathyroid hormone (PTH). Tests may include:

• Blood calcium (levels higher than 14 mg/dL are suspicious)
• Blood PTH (levels that are more than twice than normal may indicate cancer)

Before surgery, you will undergo a special radioactive scan of the parathyroid glands. The scan is called the sestamibi scan. You may also have a neck ultrasound. These tests are done to confirm which parathyroid gland is abnormal.

Review Date: 03/02/2010
Reviewed By: David C. Dugdale, III, MD, Professor of Medicine, Division of General Medicine, Department of Medicine, University of Washington School of Medicine; Yi-Bin Chen, MD, Leukemia/Bone Marrow Transplant Program, Massachusetts General Hospital. Also reviewed by David Zieve, MD, MHA, Medical Director, A.D.A.M., Inc.

A.D.A.M., Inc. is accredited by URAC, also known as the American Accreditation HealthCare Commission (www.urac.org)