Medical Health Encyclopedia

Calcitonin

Why the test is performed:

The health care provider may suggest a calcitonin test when he/she suspects medullary thyroid cancer. Calcitonin may also be elevated in other tumors such as insulinomas, VIPomas, and lung cancer.

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Calcitonin is a hormone produced in the C cells of the thyroid gland. Its role in humans is unclear. In animals, calcitonin helps to regulate blood calcium by slowing down the amount of calcium released from the bones. Calcitonin works in opposition to parathyroid hormone (PTH) and 1,25-dihydroxy vitamin D.

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