title: Pentagastrin, calcium and whisky stimulated serum calcitonin in medullary carcinoma of the thyroid.
abstract: The efficiency of pentagastrin, calcium and whisky in raising serum immunoreactive calcitonin (S-iCT) concentrations was analysed in 6 patients with medullary carcinoma of the thyroid and in 8 healthy controls. All 6 patients responded to pentagastrin with a significant increase in S-iCT, 5 responded to calcium and only 3 to whisky. In the 8 controls no or only a modest increase in S-iCT occurred following pentagastrin, calcium and whisky with no difference between the three. It is concluded that pentagastrin is the most useful stimulative agent for ICT secretion in patients with C-cell neoplasms. In selected cases the additional use of calcium could be advantageous.
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000434:Alcoholic Beverages; D002116:Calcitonin / Q000097:blood* / Q000378:metabolism; D002118:Calcium / Q000008:administration & dosage; D002277:Carcinoma / Q000097:blood* / Q000378:metabolism; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007275:Injections, Intravenous; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010418:Pentagastrin / Q000008:administration & dosage; D011863:Radioimmunoassay; D013268:Stimulation, Chemical; D013964:Thyroid Neoplasms / Q000097:blood* / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D002116:Calcitonin; D010418:Pentagastrin; D002118:Calcium