Significance of Calcitonin for Postoperative Follow-Up of Medullary Thyroid Carcinoma

Calcitonin is secreted by thyroid C cell and medullary cancer cell. For the diagnosis of tumor recurrence in MTC patients, the postoperative calcitonin determination is of central importance. CT value decreasing into the normal range are regarded as evidence of complete tumor extirpatiojn, also called biochemical cure. However, there is persistent hypercalcitoninemia which means the presence of metastatic foci in the body after resection of medullary thyroid carcinoma. This study will examines the clinical availibility of level of calcitonin after surgery of medullary thyroid carcinoma. (J Clinical Otolaryngol 2002;13:199–203)