Value of stimulated serum thyroglobulin levels for detecting persistent or recurrent differentiated thyroid cancer in high- and low-risk patients.

BACKGROUND: Serum thyroglobulin determination has been reported to be a sensitive indicator of persistent or recurrent differentiated thyroid cancer of follicular cell origin (DTC) after total thyroidectomy. The purpose of this investigation was to determine the accuracy of serum thyroglobulin levels in predicting persistent or recurrent DTC in euthyroid and hypothyroid patients.
METHODS: One hundred ninety consecutive patients with DTC of follicular cell origin who had 4 or more thyroglobulin levels measured after total thyroidectomy were retrospectively evaluated. One hundred fifteen patients had serum thyroglobulin levels measured when hypothyroid for radioiodine scanning or ablation. Serum thyroglobulin levels were determined by commercial assays. One hundred twenty-two patients less than 45 years old were considered at low risk, whereas 68 patients more than or equal to 45 years old were considered at high risk on the basis of TNM classification. The mean follow-up period was 62 months.
RESULTS: After thyroidectomy with or without central or modified radical neck dissection 120 patients had normal thyroglobulin levels (< or = 3 ng/mL) while receiving thyroid hormone. One hundred thirteen of the 120 patients (94%) with normal serum thyroglobulin levels had no evidence of recurrent tumor, whereas 6% (7 patients) had persistent or recurrent disease. Among 76 patients with persistent (28 patients) or recurrent (48 patients) disease, 70 had a serum thyroglobulin level > 3 ng/mL while receiving thyroid hormone. Overall, 14 of 115 patients, including 2 of 61 (3%) in the high-risk group and 12 of 54 (22%) in the low-risk group, only had elevated serum thyroglobulin levels when hypothyroid with high serum thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH) levels documenting persistent or recurrent disease. In 1 patient the serum thyroglobulin level (240 ng/mL) was falsely elevated probably as a result of interfering antibodies because no tumor was identified surgically or pathologically, and the thyroglobulin concentration was < 3 ng/mL when analyzed in 3 other laboratories.
CONCLUSION: Serum thyroglobulin testing is sensitive (91%) and specific (99%) for identifying patients with persistent or recurrent differentiated thyroid cancer. Serum thyroglobulin levels are most precise when patients are hypothyroid (high TSH) and may be unreliable in patients with antithyroglobulin antibodies. We recommend TSH-stimulated thyroglobulin testing for all patients after total thyroidectomy for differentiated thyroid cancer of follicular cell origin regardless of patient age or risk group.