| Medullary thyroid carcinoma (MTC) arises from parafollicular or C cells of the thyroid and accounts for 5 % to 10 % of all thyroid cancers. Hereditary MTC represents 20 to 30 % of all MTC’s. It can be transmitted with an autosomal dominant pattern either as a single entity, familial MTC (FMTC), or it can arise as part of a multiple endocrine neoplasia (MEN) syndrome type 2A or 2B. The identification of hereditary MTC has been facilitated in recent years by the direct analysis of the ret proto-oncogene 1,2 . |
