Medical Conditions

A type of multiple endocrine neoplasia characterized by a virtually 100% incidence of medullary thyroid carcinoma, a 50% incidence of pheochromocytoma, and a lesser incidence of parathyroid adenomas associated with hyperparathyroidism. The condition is always transmitted through autosomal dominant inheritance. Genetic testing can identify individuals with the trait in early infancy. Treatment is usually excision of the enlarged parathyroid glands. (From Holland et al., Cancer Medicine, 3d ed, pp1172-75)