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Calcitonin
A hormone of the thyroid's C-cells and the key marker of medullary thyroid cancer — used for both diagnosis and follow-up.
Other names: ThyrocalcitoninSection: Thyroid
Updated: August 31, 2026·MedProtect editorial team Reference information — not a diagnosis or a prescription
In shortCalcitonin is produced by the C-cells of the thyroid. Typical normal values are below 25 pg/mL (7.3 pmol/L) in men and below 20 pg/mL (5.9 pmol/L) in women. Elevated or rising levels point to medullary thyroid cancer; borderline results are checked with a stimulation test.
Reference ranges
Group
Reference range
Men — typical range (international reference, not a national standard)
< 25 pg/mL (< 7.3 pmol/L)
Women — typical range (international reference, not a national standard)
< 20 pg/mL (< 5.9 pmol/L)
Values from the MedlinePlus Medical Encyclopedia (international reference, not a national standard). Assays differ — the report's own interval applies. Reference ranges vary between laboratories and assays — use the range printed on your own lab report.
Check your value
Enter the number from your lab report — see how it compares with the typical range. Mind the units shown in the chosen row.
A rough comparison with a typical range, not a diagnosis. Reference ranges vary between laboratories — check the range on your own report and let a clinician interpret the result.
What this marker is
Medullary thyroid cancer arises from the C-cells and secretes calcitonin, making it a reliable tumor marker: levels reflect tumor burden and fall after successful surgery.
Modest elevations have other causes — proton pump inhibitors, smoking, kidney disease — so borderline results are interpreted cautiously, sometimes with a calcium or pentagastrin stimulation test.
When it is high
Medullary thyroid cancerThe main reason for testing: basal levels track tumor burden and response to surgery.
C-cell hyperplasiaA precursor state, sometimes hereditary; found in families with MEN2.
Non-thyroid causesKidney disease, proton pump inhibitors, smoking, and some neuroendocrine tumors.
When it is low
Expected findingMost healthy people have low basal levels; a low value argues strongly against medullary cancer.
What can skew the result
These factors can shift the value without any disease — worth considering before a retest:
Proton pump inhibitorsSmokingKidney function
How to prepare
Morning fasting sample. Repeat testing uses the same laboratory for comparability.
When a retest makes sense
A borderline result is repeated in the same laboratory; persistent elevation leads the endocrinologist to consider a stimulation test and neck ultrasound.
Who usually reviews this result
A result outside the reference range is usually reviewed by: an endocrinologist. Bring your lab report and any previous results to the appointment.
Names used on lab reports
Your report may use any of these names: CalcitoninThyrocalcitonin
Units and conversion
Measured in: pg/mL
pg/mL=pmol/L
pmol/L = pg/mL × 0.293. Results are rounded to 2 decimal places.
Several markers on your report?
See how MedProtect explains results in the app: the whole report, a check of the recognized values, and a clear breakdown.
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