Parathyroid Cancer

Parathyroid Cancer Care at UVM Cancer Center

Parathyroid cancer is a rare disease in which cancer cells form in the tissues of a parathyroid gland, one of four pea-sized organs found in the neck, near the thyroid gland.

At University of Vermont Health, you’ll receive care from skilled and experienced cancer specialists offering advanced treatments for parathyroid cancer in a supportive, caring environment. Our physicians take a coordinated, team-based approach to parathyroid cancer care and work together to develop a personalized treatment plan for you.

Why Choose UVM Health?

As a leading cancer program in the region, we offer:

Expert team: Our expert endocrinologists work alongside surgeons, medical oncologists, radiation oncologists, pathologists and radiologists with expertise in parathyroid cancer. These specialists work together to plan your treatment and deliver advanced, comprehensive care.
Innovation: As part of a health system anchored by an academic medical center, our physician-leaders are also active researchers, many of whom train the next generation of experts. Our physicians participate in clinical trials that can provide you with access to new therapies that are not widely available.
Convenience: Our network of providers gives you access to cancer services in clinic locations throughout Vermont and northern New York. We coordinate appointments whenever possible, so you can see multiple experts in one day and make fewer visits to your provider’s office.

Symptoms of Parathyroid Cancer

When a benign tumor (adenoma) forms on one of the parathyroid glands, the gland can grow and become overactive. An overactive parathyroid gland produces too much parathyroid hormone (hyperparathyroidism), which causes calcium stored in the bones to move into the blood (hypercalcemia). Most symptoms of parathyroid cancer are a result of hypercalcemia.

Common signs and symptoms of parathyroid cancer include:

Weakness
Feeling very tired
Nausea and vomiting
Loss of appetite
Unexplained weight loss
Excessive thirst and urination
Constipation
Trouble thinking clearly

Other symptoms may include:

Pain in the abdomen, side or back that doesn’t go away
Pain in the bones, or a broken bone
A lump in the neck
Change in voice, such as hoarseness
Difficulty swallowing.

A number of other conditions can cause the same signs of parathyroid cancer, so check with your doctor if you are experiencing any of the above symptoms.

Cancer Care

Clinical Trials

The UVM Cancer Center supports more than 100 active clinical trials focused on prevention, screening, treatment, supportive care and survivorship.

View open trials

Diagnosing Parathyroid Cancer

Parathyroid cancer can be difficult to diagnose because its cells closely resemble those of a parathyroid adenoma, a benign (noncancerous) tumor that can form on one of the parathyroid glands.

Tests that examine the neck and blood are used to diagnose parathyroid cancer. These include:

Blood chemistry tests: Measure calcium levels in the blood
Parathyroid hormone test: Measure the amount of parathyroid hormone released into the blood by the parathyroid glands
Sestamibi scan: Finds an overactive parathyroid gland, using a small amount of a radioactive substance that is injected into a vein and collects in the overactive gland

Imaging tests may also be necessary to identify which of the parathyroid glands is overactive, as they can often be hard to find.

Parathyroid Cancer Treatment

Surgery for Parathyroid Cancer

Surgery is the most common treatment for parathyroid cancer. The following surgical procedures may be used:

En bloc resection: Surgery to remove the entire parathyroid gland and, depending on how far the cancer has spread, lymph nodes, part of the thyroid gland, and muscles, tissues, or nerves in the neck
Tumor debulking: A surgical procedure that removes as much of the tumor as possible
Metastasectomy: Surgery to remove cancer that has spread to distant organs, such as the lungs

Parathyroid Cancer Clinical Trials

Clinical trials are always part of care team discussions. Participation in a clinical trial is entirely voluntary and can give you access to new care methods years before they are widely available. If you are eligible for a specific trial, your provider will explain the benefits and risks of participating.