Diagnosis and treatment of medullary thyroid carcinoma-an update

Abstract

Medullary thyroid carcinoma (MTC) arising from the parafollicular cell (C cell) of the thyroid gland, is an aggressive neuroendocrine tumor and a special rare thyroid malignancy. Calcitonin and carcinoembryonic antigen are still commonly used markers now, whose elevation can reliably diagnose MTC. The preoperative value and postoperative doubling time of these markers are of great significance for range of lymph node dissection and evaluation of prognosis. It is recommended that total thyroidectomy and central lymph node dissection would be needed and lateral lymph node dissection would be added when necessary. Routine detection of RET gene is recommended. Targeted therapy is considered for non-operable patients or the patients with distant metastasis. The pathological mechanism of MTC still needs to be paid attention.

Keywords

• |medullary thyroid carcinoma|calcitonin|surgical treatment