Terminology
The older names, "multiple endocrine adenomas" and "multiple endocrine adenomatosis" (MEA), have been replaced by the current terminology.
The term multiple endocrine neoplasia is used when two or more endocrine tumor types, known to occur as a part of one of the defined MEN syndromes, occurs in a single patient and there is evidence for either a causative mutation or hereditary transmission. The presence of two or more tumor types in a single patient does not automatically designate that individual as having MEN because there is a small statistical chance that development of two "sporadic" tumors that occur in one of the MEN syndromes could occur by chance.
The term "multiple endocrine neoplasia" was introduced in 1968, but descriptions of the condition date back to 1903.
Read more about this topic: Multiple Endocrine Neoplasia