Parathyroid carcinoma is very rare and when diagnosed can be difficult to treat as more than 50 per cent have persistent or recurrent disease. Patients generally present with profound symptoms of hypercalcaemia and a palpable neck mass. We describe a case of parathyroid carcinoma in primary hyperparathyroidism and a case in tertiary hyperparathyroidism in a renal dialysis patient. Most studies in the literature are retrospective but recent trends in presentation, treatment options and complications have been reviewed and are summarized in this paper.