Parathyroid carcinoma. A study of 70 cases

Seventy cases of carcinoma of the parathyroid collected over a 40‐year period are analyzed. The average age of the patients was 44.3 years, and there was no sex predominance. The most common presenting signs and symptoms were bone disease, a palpable neck mass, and renal stones. The initial serum calcium value averaged 15.2 mg/100 ml. The most important histologic features were mitoses and fibrous bands. Local recurrence occurred in 30% of the cases. Metastatic spread, which occurred in 30% of the cases, was usually late and to regional lymph nodes, lungs, liver, and bone. Less than half the patients died of the disease within 5 years.