Parathyroid carcinoma in a patient with primary hyperparathyroidism mimicking parathyroid adenoma.

Primary hyperparathyroidism caused by parathyroid carcinoma is extremely rare. Clinically, it is very challenging to differentiate between parathyroid carcinoma and adenoma. The correct diagnosis is made based on the histopathology of the resection specimen. This case report presents a woman in her 40s with body aches, knee joint pain, and fatigue, along with chronic kidney disease. Ultrasonography revealed a large hyperechoic lesion in the left parathyroid gland. Serum calcium, parathyroid hormone, urea, and creatinine levels were increased. The inferior parathyroid gland was surgically removed, and histopathological evaluation confirmed a diagnosis of parathyroid carcinoma. Unfortunately, many patients do not undergo complete resection due to a lack of a correct diagnosis during the initial surgery.

Clinical, Biochemical, Tumoural and Mutation Profile of VHL- and MEN2A-Associated Pheochromocytoma: A Comparative Study.

OBJECTIVE: To compare clinical, biochemical, tumoural and mutational characteristics of Von Hippel Lindau Syndrome (VHL)-associated pheochromocytoma (PCC) to multiple endocrine neoplasia 2A (MEN2A)-associated pheochromocytoma. DESIGN: Retrospective study design in a tertiary health care centre in Northern India. METHODS: A total of 47 patients with biochemical and histologically proven pheochromocytoma/paraganglioma (PCC/PGL): 29 associated with VHL and 18 with MEN2A, were divided in two cohorts, respectively. Analysis of their medical records along with a prospective follow-up was done. RESULTS: There were more children <19 years in VHL group (13 vs 1). Despite majority of VHL-PCC showing elevation of normetanephrine (NMN) (93%) as compared to MEN2A-PCC (22.2%), 75.8% presented with hypertension as compared to MEN2A (33.3%). The average size of VHL-PCC tumours was 5.66 cm. VHL-PCC as compared to MEN2A-PCC were multifocal (75% vs 61.1%), bilateral synchronous (72.4 vs 61.1%) and extra-adrenal (17.2% vs 0%). Both VHL (24%) and MEN2A-PCC (27.7%) showed multiple nodules, but more MEN2A PCC showed extra-tumoural hyperplasia (44.4% vs. 6.8%). In VHL, the commonest mutation (n = 17) was missense mutation with a hot spot on exon 3, while in MEN2A-PCC majority (66.6%) had 634 mutation in exon 11 and only 2 patients had the rare 611 mutation in exon 10. CONCLUSION: In contrast to world literature, our study suggests Indian VHL-PCC can be symptomatic in spite of noradrenergic phenotype, large in size and multifocal. Multiple nodules in VHL-PCC could increase risk of recurrence following subtotal adrenalectomy.