J Korean Surg Soc.
2000 Jun;58(6):857-861.
A Case Report of Primary Hyperparathyroidism Caused by Parathyroid Carcinoma
- Affiliations
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- 1Department of Surgery, College of Medicine, The Catholic University of Korea.
Abstract
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A parathyroid carcinoma is a rare cause of primary hyperparathyroidism. Even though the clinical
presentation in a parathyroid carcinoma is usually symptomatic and different from that in benign
parathyroid disease, a definite diagnosis can be made only by using a histologic examination of local
invasion to surrounding tissue or metastases to regional lymph nodes or distant sites. It is important
to confirm the malignancy at the initial operation because a radical resection offers the only possibility
for cure. We experienced a 62-year-old woman with primary hyperparathyroidism caused by a parathyroid
carcinoma, who had revealed the clinical manifestations of acute pancreatitis. A carcinoma in the right
lower parathyroid was confirmed by histopathologic findings of invasion to the thyroid capsule. The
patient was cured by using a radical resection of the parathyroidal mass, including the right lobe of
the thyroid, the surrounding soft tissues, and the regional lymph nodes.