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Medullary thyroid carcinoma is a rare and sometimes hereditary disease. The tumour can be diagnosed and followed up by measuring the amounts of calcitonin it secretes. The prognosis of this cancer largely depends on an early diagnosis and treatment. From the clinical and laboratory (calcitonin assays) data recorded in our department, we have endeavoured to determine the influence of a national multidisciplinary co-operative group (GETC: French medullary study group) on the diagnosis and prognosis of this malignancy. We are able to show that the number of medullary thyroid carcinomas detected (principally in their familial forms) has increased by 141 per cent after the GETC was created. Calcitonin levels at the time of diagnosis are significantly lower (P less than 0.05) in familial cases, which reflects an early detection. The same applies to post-operative calcitonin levels (P less than 0.005), so that in the long run a better prognosis can be expected. It seems therefore that together with a better knowledge of this cancer and its detection, the setting up of a national multidisciplinary co-operative group results in a better clinical and therapeutic approach of these patients, and particularly of the familial cases of medullary thyroid carcinoma.