Case Report Synchronous parathyroid carcinoma and papillary thyroid carcinoma: a case study and review of literature

Incidence of primary hyperparathyroidism due to parathyroid carcinoma along with non-medullary thyroid carcinoma is extremely rare. The authors present the unique case of a patient with a 4.3 × 3.1 × 2.5 cm parathyroid carcinoma on the left side, and a 5 mm papillary thyroid microcarcinoma on the right side. The patient was operated thrice because of persistent hyperparathyroidism. The literature relevant to this clinical condition, the diagnostic workup, surgical management, and pathological findings of these rare lesions is reviewed and discussed. When severe hypercalcemia is observed, hyperparathyroidism related to parathyroid carcinoma should be considered as a possible underlying cause. In such cases, an en-bloc resection of the parathyroid tumor and the adjacent thyroid lobe should be performed. In patients with hyperparathyroidism, thyroid imaging prior to neck exploration may be useful to identify any concomitant thyroid disease, including carcinoma.