Abstract
Background: Thyroglobulin (Tg) measurement following thyrotropin (TSH) stimulation is used in the follow-up of patients with differentiated thyroid carcinoma (DTC). However, high-sensitive assays allow accurate measurement of serum Tg even without TSH stimulation. Here, we prospectively evaluated the impact of unstimulated high-sensitive Tg measurement in early and long-term outcome of patients with DTC. Methods: One hundred and ninety five patients affected with DTC were evaluated. Six months after thyroid ablation (i.e., thyroidectomy plus radioiodine) serum Tg was measured during TSH-suppressive thyroxine (T4) treatment (onT4-Tg). Patients with undetectable onT4-Tg and negative neck ultrasound (US) were considered disease free and onT4-Tg was measured every 12 months for a mean follow-up of 6.8 (4.7-8.9) years. Patients with an increase in onT4-Tg underwent specific diagnostic work-up and appropriate treatment if necessary. Results: Four patients showed recurrence at first follow-up visit with a corresponding increase in onT4-Tg concentrations (sensitivity 100%). Three patients had false positive onT4-Tg measurement (specificity 98%) with a spontaneous decrease within 3-6 months in all cases (specificity 100%). Three of 188 patients with undetectable serum onT4-Tg at first follow-up showed recurrence later with an increase in onT4-Tg as the first (n=2) or unique (n=1) sign of relapse (sensitivity 100%). Among 185 disease-free patients in a prolonged follow-up, 12 had a transient increase in onT4-Tg (specificity 91.6%). However, a spontaneous reduction within 3-6 months occurred in all cases (specificity 100%). Conclusions: Undetectable serum onT4-Tg using a high-sensitivity immunoradiometric assay 6 months after thyroid ablation predicts low-risk of DTC recurrence. When onT4-Tg became detectable during follow-up, the evaluation of Tg slope in a 3-6 months period accurately discriminated patients with DTC recurrence from those without recurrence. This helped avoid unnecessary diagnostic or therapeutic procedures.
| Original language | English |
|---|---|
| Pages (from-to) | 1001-1004 |
| Number of pages | 4 |
| Journal | Clinical Chemistry and Laboratory Medicine |
| Volume | 47 |
| Issue number | 8 |
| DOIs | |
| Publication status | Published - Aug 1 2009 |
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Keywords
- Differentiated thyroid carcinoma (DTC)
- Follow-up
- Thyroglobulin (Tg)
- Thyroid
ASJC Scopus subject areas
- Clinical Biochemistry
- Biochemistry, medical
Cite this
Unstimulated high sensitive thyroglobulin measurement predicts outcome of differentiated thyroid carcinoma. / Giovanella, Luca; Maffioli, Marco; Ceriani, Luca; De Palma, Diego; Spriano, Giuseppe.
In: Clinical Chemistry and Laboratory Medicine, Vol. 47, No. 8, 01.08.2009, p. 1001-1004.Research output: Contribution to journal › Article
}
TY - JOUR
T1 - Unstimulated high sensitive thyroglobulin measurement predicts outcome of differentiated thyroid carcinoma
AU - Giovanella, Luca
AU - Maffioli, Marco
AU - Ceriani, Luca
AU - De Palma, Diego
AU - Spriano, Giuseppe
PY - 2009/8/1
Y1 - 2009/8/1
N2 - Background: Thyroglobulin (Tg) measurement following thyrotropin (TSH) stimulation is used in the follow-up of patients with differentiated thyroid carcinoma (DTC). However, high-sensitive assays allow accurate measurement of serum Tg even without TSH stimulation. Here, we prospectively evaluated the impact of unstimulated high-sensitive Tg measurement in early and long-term outcome of patients with DTC. Methods: One hundred and ninety five patients affected with DTC were evaluated. Six months after thyroid ablation (i.e., thyroidectomy plus radioiodine) serum Tg was measured during TSH-suppressive thyroxine (T4) treatment (onT4-Tg). Patients with undetectable onT4-Tg and negative neck ultrasound (US) were considered disease free and onT4-Tg was measured every 12 months for a mean follow-up of 6.8 (4.7-8.9) years. Patients with an increase in onT4-Tg underwent specific diagnostic work-up and appropriate treatment if necessary. Results: Four patients showed recurrence at first follow-up visit with a corresponding increase in onT4-Tg concentrations (sensitivity 100%). Three patients had false positive onT4-Tg measurement (specificity 98%) with a spontaneous decrease within 3-6 months in all cases (specificity 100%). Three of 188 patients with undetectable serum onT4-Tg at first follow-up showed recurrence later with an increase in onT4-Tg as the first (n=2) or unique (n=1) sign of relapse (sensitivity 100%). Among 185 disease-free patients in a prolonged follow-up, 12 had a transient increase in onT4-Tg (specificity 91.6%). However, a spontaneous reduction within 3-6 months occurred in all cases (specificity 100%). Conclusions: Undetectable serum onT4-Tg using a high-sensitivity immunoradiometric assay 6 months after thyroid ablation predicts low-risk of DTC recurrence. When onT4-Tg became detectable during follow-up, the evaluation of Tg slope in a 3-6 months period accurately discriminated patients with DTC recurrence from those without recurrence. This helped avoid unnecessary diagnostic or therapeutic procedures.
AB - Background: Thyroglobulin (Tg) measurement following thyrotropin (TSH) stimulation is used in the follow-up of patients with differentiated thyroid carcinoma (DTC). However, high-sensitive assays allow accurate measurement of serum Tg even without TSH stimulation. Here, we prospectively evaluated the impact of unstimulated high-sensitive Tg measurement in early and long-term outcome of patients with DTC. Methods: One hundred and ninety five patients affected with DTC were evaluated. Six months after thyroid ablation (i.e., thyroidectomy plus radioiodine) serum Tg was measured during TSH-suppressive thyroxine (T4) treatment (onT4-Tg). Patients with undetectable onT4-Tg and negative neck ultrasound (US) were considered disease free and onT4-Tg was measured every 12 months for a mean follow-up of 6.8 (4.7-8.9) years. Patients with an increase in onT4-Tg underwent specific diagnostic work-up and appropriate treatment if necessary. Results: Four patients showed recurrence at first follow-up visit with a corresponding increase in onT4-Tg concentrations (sensitivity 100%). Three patients had false positive onT4-Tg measurement (specificity 98%) with a spontaneous decrease within 3-6 months in all cases (specificity 100%). Three of 188 patients with undetectable serum onT4-Tg at first follow-up showed recurrence later with an increase in onT4-Tg as the first (n=2) or unique (n=1) sign of relapse (sensitivity 100%). Among 185 disease-free patients in a prolonged follow-up, 12 had a transient increase in onT4-Tg (specificity 91.6%). However, a spontaneous reduction within 3-6 months occurred in all cases (specificity 100%). Conclusions: Undetectable serum onT4-Tg using a high-sensitivity immunoradiometric assay 6 months after thyroid ablation predicts low-risk of DTC recurrence. When onT4-Tg became detectable during follow-up, the evaluation of Tg slope in a 3-6 months period accurately discriminated patients with DTC recurrence from those without recurrence. This helped avoid unnecessary diagnostic or therapeutic procedures.
KW - Differentiated thyroid carcinoma (DTC)
KW - Follow-up
KW - Thyroglobulin (Tg)
KW - Thyroid
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=70349490116&partnerID=8YFLogxK
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/citedby.url?scp=70349490116&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1515/CCLM.2009.216
DO - 10.1515/CCLM.2009.216
M3 - Article
C2 - 19589104
AN - SCOPUS:70349490116
VL - 47
SP - 1001
EP - 1004
JO - Clinical Chemistry and Laboratory Medicine
JF - Clinical Chemistry and Laboratory Medicine
SN - 1434-6621
IS - 8
ER -