Symptoms of parathyroid cancer are primarily caused by hypercalcemia (high levels of calcium in the blood), and may affect various parts of the body. They include:
Your doctor will perform a physical exam and ask about your medical history.
In about half of all cases, palpation (feeling with hands) can reveal a cancerous parathyroid tumor.
Cancerous parathyroid tumors tend to produce very high amounts of parathyroid hormone (PTH). Tests may include:
Prior to 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 .
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
Weigel RJ, Macdonald JS, Haller D, McDougall IR. Cancer of the Endocrine System. In: Abeloff MD, Armitage JO, Niederhuber JE, et al. (eds). Clinical Oncology, 3rd ed . Philadelphia, Pa: Chrchill Livingston; 2004.
National Cancer Institute. Parathyroid Cancer: Treatment. In: Physician Data Query. Available online at http://www.cancer.gov/cancertopics/pdq/treatment/parathyroid. Last accessed on 23 April, 2006.
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