CASE REPORT article
Front. Oncol.
Sec. Surgical Oncology
Volume 15 - 2025 | doi: 10.3389/fonc.2025.1581911
Delayed diagnosis of parathyroid carcinoma and two pulmonary recurrences and metastases
Provisionally accepted
- 1Department of Thyroid and Breast Surgery, Shenzhen Hospital, Peking University, Shenzhen, China
- 2Shenzhen University, Shenzhen, China
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Parathyroid carcinoma (PC) is a rare and aggressive malignancy, characterized by severe hypercalcemia and elevated parathyroid hormone (PTH) levels, making it particularly challenging to diagnose. In this case report, the patient's PC was not diagnosed during the initial surgery. The diagnosis was delayed until two years later, when metastatic lesions appeared in the lungs, leading to repeat surgery and a retrospective review of the patient's medical history. This case emphasizes the diagnostic difficulty of PC, particularly during the initial evaluation. Close postoperative follow-up is crucial for suspected cases. Upon biochemical evidence of recurrence, comprehensive systemic screening should be conducted, not only focusing on the neck but also on common metastatic sites such as the lungs, bones, and liver.
Keywords: parathyroid carcinoma, Delayed Diagnosis, standardized surgery, Hypercalcemia, high PTH, Lung metastasis
Received: 23 May 2025; Accepted: 08 Sep 2025.
Copyright: © 2025 Tian, Hu, Cao, Chen, Su and Li. This is an open-access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (CC BY). The use, distribution or reproduction in other forums is permitted, provided the original author(s) or licensor are credited and that the original publication in this journal is cited, in accordance with accepted academic practice. No use, distribution or reproduction is permitted which does not comply with these terms.
* Correspondence:
Xi Su, Department of Thyroid and Breast Surgery, Shenzhen Hospital, Peking University, Shenzhen, 518036, China
Peng Li, Department of Thyroid and Breast Surgery, Shenzhen Hospital, Peking University, Shenzhen, 518036, China
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