[Familial cancer of the parathyroid glands. Importance of angiography in the diagnosis of regional recurrences. Considerations on 2 cases]

Abstract

The authors report two new cases of functional parathyroid carcinoma, the course of which varied between 5 and 7 years. The main fact was their familial character, as the disease affected two siblings. No similar case was found in the world literature. These two cases were characterised by symptoms in the bones or pancreatic symptoms which dominated the whole clinical course. Finally, the second case was studied by angiography which permitted the authors to localise a lymphnode metastasis on the opposite side. As far as treatment was concerned, the frequency and severity of local and regional spread justifies wide removal at an early stage. This attitude is necessary in any case of parathyroid tumor with an infiltrating character.