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Department of Surgery, Karolinska University Hospital, SE-171 76 Stockholm, Sweden
¹ Epidemiology Unit, Department of Medicine, Karolinska University Hospital, SE-171 76 Stockholm, Sweden

(Requests for offprints should be addressed to I-L Nilsson; Email: inga-lena.nilsson{at}ki.se)

In order to evaluate the link between primary hyperparathyroidism (pHPT) and malignancies, cases subjected to parathyroid adenomectomy (PTX) during 1958–1997 in Sweden were identified by analyzing the National Swedish Cancer Registry. To minimize the influence of confounding by detection, cases with malignant disease diagnosed before or at the same time as pHPT or during the first year after PTX were excluded. Altogether 9782 cases (7642) were included and followed for up to 40 years. Thus, the study comprises 89 571 person-years of observation. The incidence of malignancies was compared with that in the Swedish population standardized for age, sex, and calendar year. An increased overall incidence of cancer was demonstrated in both genders (standardized incidence ratio (SIR) 1.43, 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.35–1.52). This remain unchanged beyond 15 years after PTX. Breast cancer contributed a quarter of the cancer incidence in women (SIR 1.44, 95% CI 1.25–1.62). An increased risk of kidney (SIR 2.40, 95% CI 1.72–3.25), colonic (SIR 1.46, 95% CI 1.19–1.77), and squamous cell skin cancer (SIR 2.79, 95% CI 2.25–3.43) was found in both genders. The risk of endocrine and pancreas cancer was increased in the minority of patients who had their PTX before the age of 40. We conclude that pHPT is associated with an increased risk of developing malignancies that persists even after PTX. This suggests a causal disassociation with the biochemical derangements caused by parathyroid adenoma, while potentially common etiological mechanisms may include genetic predisposition or acquired disability to withstand environmental influence.