A rare presentation of medullary thyroid cancer metastasis to the prostate in a patient with multiple endocrine neoplasia 2B syndrome treated with laparoscopic radical prostatectomy

Sep 24, 2026

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Multiple endocrine neoplasia (MEN) syndromes are rare, hereditary disorders with malignant potential. MEN 2B typically presents with medullary thyroid cancer, pheochromocytoma, gastrointestinal ganglioneuromatosis, and characteristic musculoskeletal and ophthalmologic lesions. Prostate metastasis from non-prostatic cancers is extremely uncommon, with few reported cases from medullary thyroid cancer, usually in the context of MEN 2B. This report describes a 28-year-old with MEN 2B, managed using laparoscopic radical prostatectomy as metastasectomy.

LanguageEnglish

CategoryHealthcare

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Abstract

Introduction

MEN 2B syndrome overview

Rarity and pathways of prostate metastasis

Case report

| Case Report | | | --- | --- | | | | | A rare presentation of medullary thyroid cancer metastasis to the prostate in a patient with multiple endocrine neoplasia 2B syndrome treated with laparoscopic radical prostatectomy
Theodoros Spinos, Dimitrios Ermidis1, Christos Zabaftis1, Filippos Nikitakis1, Nikolaos Grivas1, Markos Karavitakis1
National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, 1 Department of Laparoscopy and Endourology, Central Urology, Lefkos Stavros the Athens Clinic, Athens, Greece | | | | | | Abstract
Multiple endocrine neoplasia (MEN) syndromes are rare and potentially malignant hereditary entities. Clinical manifestations of MEN 2B include medullary thyroid cancer, pheochromocytoma, gastrointestinal ganglioneuromatosis, and musculoskeletal and ophthalmologic lesions. Metastases to the prostate from the cancers of other organs are extremely rare. There are only a few cases of metastases to the prostate gland, originating from medullary thyroid cancer, found in literature, especially associated with MEN 2B syndrome. In this case report, we present the extremely rare case of a 28-year-old patient, diagnosed with MEN 2B syndrome, with medullary thyroid cancer metastasis to the prostate. Although a few reports of medullary thyroid cancer metastasis into the prostate gland can be found in the literature, to our knowledge, this is the first case of a laparoscopic radical prostatectomy procedure performed as a metastasectomy to treat the prostatic metastasis. Laparoscopic radical prostatectomy, performed as a metastasectomy, for the treatment of metastatic cancer, is an extremely rare surgical indication with distinctive requirements and difficulties. The extraperitoneal access enables the realization of the laparoscopic radical prostatectomy procedure even in the cases of patients with a history of multiple intra-abdominal operations.
Keywords: Laparoscopic, medullary thyroid cancer, metastasectomy, multiple endocrine neoplasia 2B, prostate, radical prostatectomy, surgical technique | | | Address for correspondence: Dr. Markos Karavitakis, No. 115 28, Department of Laparoscopy and Endourology, Central Urology, Lefkos Stavros the Athens Clinic, Athens, Greece.
[E-mail: markoskaravitakis@yahoo.gr](E-mail: markoskaravitakis@yahoo.gr)
Received: 23.12. 2022, Accepted: 06.03. 2023, Published: 10.04.2023 | | INTRODUCTION Multiple endocrine neoplasia (MEN) syndromes are rare and potentially malignant hereditary entities, including MEN 1, MEN 2A, and MEN 2B. MEN 2 is an autosomal | Access this article online | | | --- | --- | | Quick Response Code: | Website:
[www.urologyannals.com](www.urologyannals.com) | | | | | | DOI:
10.4103/ua. ua_157_22 | dominant hereditary cancer syndrome, caused by germline mutations in the rearranged during transfection proto‑oncogene. It is, furthermore, divided into MEN 2A This is an open access journal, and articles are distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution‑NonCommercial‑ShareAlike 4.0 License, which allows others to remix, tweak, and build upon the work non-commercially, as long as appropriate credit is given and the new creations are licensed under the identical terms. For reprints [contact:](contact: WKHLRPMedknow_reprints@wolterskluwer.com)[ WKHLRPMedknow_reprints@wolterskluwer.com](contact: WKHLRPMedknow_reprints@wolterskluwer.com) How to cite this article: SpinosT, Ermidis D, Zabaftis C, Nikitakis F, Grivas N, Karavitakis M. A rare presentation of medullary thyroid cancer metastasis to the prostate in a patient with multiple endocrine neoplasia 2B syndrome treated with laparoscopic radical prostatectomy. Urol Ann 2023;15:245-8. © 2023 Urology Annals | Published by Wolters Kluwer-Medknow 245 Spinos, et al.: Medullary thyroid cancer metastasis to the prostate treated with laparoscopic radical prostatectomy and MEN 2B: MEN 2Ais associated with medullary thyroid cancer, pheochromocytoma, primary hyperparathyroidism,

FAQs

What is MEN 2B and what major manifestations does it include?

MEN 2B is a rare hereditary cancer syndrome. It commonly involves medullary thyroid cancer, pheochromocytoma, gastrointestinal ganglioneuromatosis, and characteristic musculoskeletal and ophthalmologic lesions.

How common is prostate metastasis from medullary thyroid cancer?

Metastasis to the prostate from cancers of other organs is extremely rare. Only a few cases of prostate involvement from medullary thyroid cancer have been described in the literature, particularly associated with MEN 2B.

What treatment approach was used in this case report?

The patient underwent laparoscopic radical prostatectomy performed as a metastasectomy to treat the prostatic metastasis. The report emphasizes the rarity and technical difficulties of this surgical indication.

Sep 24, 2026

Uploaded by Ophelia