Case Report Metastatic Nonfunctioning Parathyroid Carcinoma: Ultrastructural Evidence of Secretory Granules and Response to Chemotherapy

Non-Functional Parathyroid Carcinoma: A Review of the Literature and Report of a Case Requiring Extensive Surgery

“…massNoNormalNormalExtensive?Merlano et al [14]59/MNeck mass, VCP, dysphagia, axillary LNNo (adenoma w/high Ml)NormalNormal8x6x4YesYamashita et al [15]69/FNeck massNo (thyroid carcinoma)9.3?5x4x3?Hickey et al [16–18]27/MNeck massNo (cystic thyroid mass)9.2-9.8?5.5?49/MNeck massNo????59/MNeck massNo (follicular thyroid ca)9.5?2.5YesChahinian et al [19]69/FNeck mass, pleural effusionNoNormalNormal2x2, 14?Dhom and Hohbach [20]38/MNeck massNo (thyroid nodule)Normal?2.5x1.5?Altenahr and Saeger [21]50/MNeck massNo (thyroid tumor)Normal??YesPachter and Lattes [22]50/FChest painNoNormal…”

Non-functional parathyroid carcinoma: a case report and review of the literature

“…The impaired secretion of hormone results in the accumulation of secretory granules. 26,28 In addition, a large number of mitochondria with fewer and smaller rough endoplasmic reticula and Golgi apparatus, a large amount of cytoplasmic glycogen and a large number of liposomes, rather than specific secretory granules, have been observed. 27 Pre-pro-PTH, a precursor of PTH, is encoded by mRNA, and the presence of mRNA coding for pre-pro-PTH(PTH mRNA) has been detected in PTCs, indicating that the synthesis of PTH is intermittent.…”

Nonfunctional parathyroid carcinoma

“…The histologic Wndings in our patient and in previously published cases suggest that there are no obvious microscopic or immunohistochemical diVerences between functioning and nonfunctioning PTC. On the other hand, some of physicians before did not historically consider nonfunctioning PTC a distinct entity, partly because no immunohistochemical stains were available to help distinguish them from thyroid cancers and from neuroendocrine tumors of the neck and superior mediastinum (Altenähr and Saeger 1973;Chahinian et al 1981;Farr et al 1973). Currently, however, available immunohistochemistry techniques have made accurate diagnosis possible in most patients (Temmim et al 2008).…”

“…To support the hypothesis of impaired secretion of hormone, some investigators have studied the ultrastructure of nonfunctioning PTCs and have noted an increased presence of cytoplasmic organelles, especially in the Golgi apparatus, as well as an increased number of cytoplasmic secretory granules and occasional lipid vacuoles and glycogen. These Wndings were thought to result from the accumulation of secretory granules due to impairment of hormone secretion (Altenähr and Saeger 1973;Chahinian et al 1981). Other investigators, however, have noted a large amount of mitochondria but with a reduced number and size of rough endoplasmic reticula and Golgi apparatus and a preponderance of cytoplasmic glycogen and liposomes instead of speciWc secretory granules (Dhom and Hohbach 1980).…”