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Medullary carcinoma of thyroid

Alternative Names:

Thyroid - medullary carcinoma; Cancer - thyroid (medullary carcinoma); MTC

Treatment:

Treatment involves surgery to remove the thyroid gland and surrounding lymph nodes. Chemotherapy and radiation do not work very well for this type of cancer.

Support Groups:

For additional information, see cancer support groups .

Expectations (prognosis):

Approximately 86% of those with medullary carcinoma of the thyroid live at least 5 years after diagnosis. The 10-year survival rate is 65%.

Complications:

Complications may include:

Cancer spreads to other areas of the body
Parathyroid glands are accidentally removed during surgery

Calling your health care provider:

Call your health care provider if symptoms of medullary carcinoma of the thyroid develop.

Thyroid cancer - CT scan

Thyroid gland

Review Date: 10/31/2006
Reviewed By: Rita Nanda, M.D., Department of Medicine, Section of Hematology/Oncology, University of Chicago Medical Center, Chicago, IL. Review provided by VeriMed Healthcare Network.

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