Parathyroid adenoma

Injury	Disease	Nutrition	Poison

Symptoms	Surgery	Test	Special Topic

Endocrine glands

Parathyroid adenoma

Definition:

Parathyroid adenomas are benign (noncancerous) tumors of the parathyroid glands, which are located in the neck and help regulate calcium metabolism.

Causes, incidence, and risk factors:

This tumor is the most common cause of hyperparathyroidism, which causes elevated levels of calcium in the blood (hypercalcemia). Parathyroid adenomas are generally caused by genetic mutations.

Women over 60 are at highest risk. If your head or neck has been exposed to radiation, this can also increase risk.

Review Date: 8/12/2004
Reviewed By: Aniket R. Sidhaye, M.D., Division of Endocrinology and Metabolism, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD. Review provided by VeriMed Healthcare Network.

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