Parathyroid cancer
What is parathyroid cancer?
Parathyroid cancer starts in cells of a parathyroid gland. Learn about symptoms, diagnosis, treatment and risks in our guide to parathyroid cancer.
Risks for parathyroid cancer
Risk factors for parathyroid cancer include multiple endocrine neoplasia and hyperparathyroidism-jaw tumour. Learn about parathyroid cancer risk.
Symptoms of parathyroid cancer
Symptoms of parathyroid cancer include fatigue, muscle weakness, increased thirst and urinary problems. Learn about the symptoms of parathyroid cancer.
Diagnosis of parathyroid cancer
Tests to diagnose parathyroid cancer, such as sestamibi scan, are done when symptoms suggest a problem. Learn about diagnosing parathyroid cancer.
Stages of parathyroid cancer
Staging is a way of describing or classifying a cancer based on the extent of cancer in the body. There is no standard staging system for parathyroid cancer because: It is rare. Tumour size and lymph node status at the time of diagnosis are not prognostic factors for this type of cancer.
If parathyroid cancer spreads
Cancer cells have the potential to spread from the parathyroid gland to other parts of the body where they can grow into new tumours. This process is called metastasis. The tumours are also called metastasis (singular) or metastases (plural). Metastases are also called secondary tumours.
Prognosis and survival for parathyroid cancer
People with parathyroid cancer may have questions about their prognosis and survival. Prognosis and survival depend on many factors. Only a doctor familiar with a person’s medical history, type of cancer, stage, characteristics of the cancer, treatments chosen and response to treatment can put all of this information together with survival statistics to arrive at a prognosis.
Treatments for parathyroid cancer
Treatments for parathyroid cancer include surgery, supportive therapy, radiation and chemotherapy. Learn about treatment options for parathyroid cancer.
Supportive care for parathyroid cancer
Supportive care helps people meet the physical, practical, emotional and spiritual challenges of parathyroid cancer. It is an important part of cancer care.
Parathyroid cancer statistics
Cancer statistics tell us how many people in Canada are diagnosed with and die from other endocrine cancers in a certain time frame.