Faculty Collaboration Database

Medullary thyroid carcinoma without marked elevation of calcitonin: a diagnostic and surveillance dilemma. Thyroid 2008 Aug;18(8):889-94

Date

07/25/2008

Pubmed ID

18651827

DOI

10.1089/thy.2007.0413

Scopus ID

2-s2.0-50649083690 (requires institutional sign-in at Scopus site)   40 Citations

Abstract

Calcitonin is a sensitive tumor marker for medullary thyroid cancer (MTC) and is useful in preoperative diagnosis and postoperative surveillance for recurrent disease. Calcitonin-negative MTC is a rare occurrence. We present the case of a 68-year-old man with a 6.5 cm sporadic MTC with a 5-cm metastasis in the neck, but only minimally elevated serum calcitonin levels. He underwent total thyroidectomy, resection of internal jugular vein, and limited ipsilateral lymph node dissection. He remains disease-free 12 months after surgery. We review the literature on calcitonin-negative MTC and discuss methods of postoperative surveillance in this subset of patients.

Author List

Wang TS, Ocal IT, Sosa JA, Cox H, Roman S

Author

Tracy S. Wang MD, MPH Professor in the Surgery department at Medical College of Wisconsin

MESH terms used to index this publication - Major topics in bold

Aged
Biomarkers, Tumor
Calcitonin
Carcinoma, Medullary
Follow-Up Studies
Humans
Male
Neck Dissection
Postoperative Complications
Secondary Prevention
Thyroid Neoplasms
Thyroidectomy