Pentagastrin, calcium and whisky stimulated serum calcitonin in medullary carcinoma of the thyroid.

The efficiency of pentagastrin, calcium and whisky in raising serum immunoreactive calcitonin (S-iCT) concentrations was analysed in 6 patients with medullary carcinoma of the thyroid and in 8 healthy controls. All 6 patients responded to pentagastrin with a significant increase in S-iCT, 5 responded to calcium and only 3 to whisky. In the 8 controls no or only a modest increase in S-iCT occurred following pentagastrin, calcium and whisky with no difference between the three. It is concluded that pentagastrin is the most useful stimulative agent for ICT secretion in patients with C-cell neoplasms. In selected cases the additional use of calcium could be advantageous.