Surgical and medical management of patients with pulmonary metastasis from parathyroid carcinoma.
BACKGROUND
The aim of this study was to characterize patients with pulmonary metastasis of parathyroid carcinoma and to evaluate the long-term effect of surgical and medical therapy.


METHODS
Seven patients with pulmonary metastasis of parathyroid carcinoma were treated between 1980 and 1992. Six patients underwent resection of pulmonary metastases, and one patient has had long-term bisphosphonate therapy alone. Bisphosphonate was also given before or after operation to three patients.


RESULTS
Two patients underwent a unilateral thoracotomy for a single pulmonary lesion, and four other patients with multiple lesions underwent staged bilateral thoracotomies. The postoperative serum calcium level returned to normal after each thoracotomy in three patients who were alive and well 3, 8, and 12 years after the first thoracotomy. Hypercalcemia persisted in the other three patients. In two of the patients, bisphosphonate therapy was also unable to control hypercalcemia. In one patient the serum calcium level has been maintained in the 13 mg/dl range by bimonthly bisphosphonate therapy alone for 3 years.


CONCLUSIONS
The aggressive surgical approach to pulmonary metastasis of parathyroid carcinoma was shown to be effective for palliation in selected patients. Bisphosphonate therapy is an alternative to resection but has only a temporary calcium-lowering effect.
Obara
T
T
Department of Endocrine Surgery, Tokyo Women's Medical College, Japan.
Okamoto
T
T
Ito
Y
Y
Yamashita
T
T
Kawano
M
M
Nishi
T
T
Tani
M
M
Sato
K
K
Demura
H
H
Fujimoto
Y
Y
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D002118:Calcium / Q000097:blood; D002277:Carcinoma / Q000473:pathology*; D004247:DNA / Q000235:genetics; D004164:Diphosphonates / Q000627:therapeutic use; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008175:Lung Neoplasms / Q000556:secondary* / Q000601:surgery / Q000628:therapy*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010282:Parathyroid Neoplasms / Q000473:pathology*; D011003:Ploidies; D011184:Postoperative Period; D013908:Thoracotomy; D013997:Time Factors; D016896:Treatment Outcome
D004164:Diphosphonates; D004247:DNA; D002118:Calcium