Parathyroid carcinoma

Abstract

Parathyroid carcinoma is an uncommon malignancy. It accounts for less than 1% of cases of primary hyperparathyroidism (HPT). It is manifested by severe hypercalcemia and up to 50% of patients will have concomitant kidney or bone disease. The etiology of parathyroid carcinoma is unknown, however, the recently discovered HRPT2 gene, a tumor suppressor gene encoding for the protein parafibromin, has been implicated in the pathogenesis. Identification of inactivating germ-line mutations in HRPT2 has significant implications for diagnosis and management. This article summarizes the genetic aspects of parathyroid carcinoma, reviews its clinical manifestations, and outlines the principles of surgical therapy, the indications for adjuvant therapy, and the use of bisphosphonate and calcimimetic agents for management of hypercalcemia.