Medullary thyroid cancer is classified as sporadic (about 75% of cases) or hereditary (about 25% of cases). Sporadic is not inherited; hereditary may occur in multiple patients within a family.
In this country, doctors usually recommend that all children of patients with medullary carcinoma be screened by having blood drawn to check levels of tumor markers (carcinoembryonic antigen CEA and serum calcitonin CT). If these two indicators are found to be abnormal, the doctor will usually recommend genetic testing. This test is not yet widely available in China, and you should consult your doctor about the specifics of the test.
Co-written by Dr. Xiaoke Zheng, Cancer Hospital, Fudan University