A case of hereditary medullary thyroid cancer (MEN2A/FMTC) diagnosed at the time of recurrence

Abstract

We report a 42-year-old man with hereditary medullary thyroid cancer (multiple endocrine neoplasia, MEN2A/ familial medullary thyroid carcinoma, FMTC), which was diagnosed at the time of tumor recurrence. He had a past history of a left thyroidectomy with neck dissection 7 years previously. A RET gene analysis revealed a point mutation (codon 618), and we diagnosed him as having hereditary medullary thyroid cancer. We resected the recurrent tumor in the right thyroid lobe together with performing a right lateral and central neck dissection. A RET gene analysis should be performed for patients with medullary thyroid cancer. When a RET gene mutation is present, a total thyroidectomy must be performed for the medullary thyroid cancer.