Parathyroid carcinoma: New insights
Abhishek Viswanath, Eftychia E Drakou, Fannie Lajeunesse‐Trempe, Ashley Grossman, Georgios K. Dimitriadis
Abstract
Parathyroid carcinoma (PC) is a rare malignancy, comprising 1 % of all cases of primary hyperparathyroidism (PHPT). This narrative review explores recent advances in PC management, with a focus on molecular insights, diagnostic advancements, surgical innovations, and emerging targeted therapies. Manuscripts published between 2023 and 2024 were obtained from PubMed, EMBASE, and the Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials (CENTRAL). The review highlights advances in biochemical markers, such as circulating tumour cells (CTCs), and imaging modalities such as 18 F-FDG PET/CT and 4D-CT, which are improving diagnostic accuracy. Surgical resection remains central to localised and metastatic disease management. For patients with widespread metastatic or unresectable disease, newer targeted approaches such as tyrosine kinase inhibitors (TKIs), temozolomide, and immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs) may offer clinical benefit to specific patient cohorts. This review identifies future research areas to improve outcomes and recommends that patients with advanced PC continue to be managed in centres of excellence.