title: Focus on parathyroid carcinoma.
abstract: Parathyroid carcinoma is a malignant neoplasm affecting 05-2 per cent of all patients with primary hyperparathyroidism that was first described by de Quevain in 1904. To day it continues to defy diagnosis and treatment. It is difficult to diagnose in part because of its rarity, lack of definitive diagnostic markers and overlapping clinical features of benign primary hyperparathyroidism. As a result initial surgical treatment is inadequate essentially leading to disease recurrence where complete cure is unlikely. En bloc surgical resection remains the only curative treatment, and high priorities are improving diagnostic methods, and clinical staging for resection once the disease is suspected. Margin status at resection is related to prognosis. Thus, a trend towards aggressive surgical management has improved outcomes. The recurrence rate of parathyroid carcinoma is as high as 80% with survival rates <50% at 10 years. Results of chemotherapy are disappointing. However, recent trials using radiation therapy are promising, but require further study.
authors.affiliation: Department of Surgery II, University of Leipzig, Liebig Strasse 20, 04103 Leipzig, Germany. Woubet.Kassahun@uniklinik-leipzig.de
authors.forename: Woubet T
authors.initials: WT
authors.lastname: Kassahun
authors.forename: Sven
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Jonas
mesh_terms: D002277:Carcinoma / Q000150:complications / Q000473:pathology* / Q000628:therapy*; D006801:Humans; D010282:Parathyroid Neoplasms / Q000150:complications / Q000473:pathology* / Q000628:therapy*