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Parathyroid cancer - Overview

Alternative Names

Parathyroid carcinoma

Definition of Parathyroid cancer:

Parathyroid cancer is a cancerous (malignant) growth in a parathyroid gland.

Causes, incidence, and risk factors:

The parathyroid glands are responsible for controlling the calcium in the body. There are four parathyroid glands, two on each lobe of the thyroid gland. They are located at the base of the neck.

Parathyroid cancer is an extremely rare type of cancer. Men and women are equally affected. It usually occurs in people older than 30.

The cause of parathyroid cancer is unknown. People with multiple endocrine neoplasia type I have an increased risk for this disease. People who had head or neck radiation may also be at increased risk. Such radiation exposure, however, is more often connected with thyroid cancer.

Reviewed last on: 3/24/2008
Stephen Grund, MD, PhD, Chief of Hematology/Oncology and Director of the George Bray Cancer Center at New Britain General Hospital, New Britain, CT. Review provided by VeriMed Healthcare Network.

References

Phillip K, Pellitteri PK, Sofferman RA, Randolph GW. Surgical management of parathyroid disorders. In: Cummings CW, Flint PW, Haughey BH, et al., eds.Otolaryngology Head & Neck Surgery. 4th ed. Philadelphia, Pa: Mosby; 2005.

Rodgers SE, Lew JI, Solórzano CC. Primary hyperparathyroidism. Curr Opin Oncol. 2008;20:52-58.

Lang B, Lo CY. Parathyroid cancer. Surg Oncol Clin N Am. 2006;15:573-584.

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