CA: A Cancer Journal for Clinicians, Vol 19, 74-79, Copyright
© 1969 by American Cancer Society
Medullary Thyroid Carcinoma: A Component of an Interesting Endocrine Syndrome
Melvin A. Block M.D.1
1 Associate Surgeon, Division of General Surgery, Henry Ford Hospital, Detroit, Michigan.
1. One variety of the multiple endocrine tumor syndrome comprises predominantly medullary thyroid carcinomas and pheochromocytomas.
2. Coexistence of the two major lesions of this medullary thyroid carcinoma-pheochromocytoma syndrome may occur in the same patient in a nonfamilial or familial pattern, or may occur separately in various members of an affected family.
3. Either of the major lesions of this syndrome is potentially lethal and requires early eradication.
4. Patients or families affected by this syndrome have a predisposition for other endocrine diseases, neuromas, and cancer of other organs and tissues.
5. The tumors of this syndrome produce humoral agents. It appears that the calcitonin which is usually produced by the medullary thyroid carcinoma may be of diagnostic value. In a few patients, the tumors produce multiple biologically active substances, including prostaglandins and serotonin by medullary thyroid carcinoma and an ACTH-like substance by either the pheochromocytoma or medullary thyroid carcinoma.
6. The occurrence of endocrine neoplasms in a familial pattern offers a potential tool for the study of the pathogenesis of cancer.
