Onkológia 5/2008

METASTATIC CARCINOMA OF THE PARATHYROID GLAND – RARE CAUSE OF PRIMARY HYPERPARATHYREOSIS

Primary hyperparathyroidism is a common endocrine disorder. It is caused in 82 % by parathyroid adenoma, in 12 % by parathyroid hyperplasia. Approximately in 1 % of cases the condition is caused by parathyroid cancer (PTCA). Although, it is a rare cause, distinction between carcinoma and adenoma is sometimes difficult. There are no histopathologic features, which are typical for PTCA. Depending on the histopatology criteria used, diagnosis parathyroid carcinoma can be underestimated or overestimated. We propose typical case of an aggresive PTCA affecting the ectopic parathyroid tissue localized in thymus.

Keywords: hyperparathyroidism, parathyroid carcinoma, diagnosis, therapy