title: Preablation stimulated thyroglobulin is a good predictor of successful ablation in patients with differentiated thyroid cancer.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To evaluate the predictive capacity of clinical and laboratory variables in relation to the success of ablation. The variables studied were as follows: thyroglobulin (Tg) in hypothyroidism, before ablation; age; gender; type of carcinoma (papillary or follicular); the tumor stage; the administered activity of I; and the whole-body scan 7 days after ablation.
  
  
  METHODS
  Retrospective review of the medical records of all patients who were admitted to the therapeutic room to undergo treatment with I, from 1998 to 2007. Of the records reviewed, 96 patients fulfilled the inclusion criteria and had no exclusion criteria. A negative whole-body scan and Tg in hypothyroidism <2 ng/mL, after 6 to 12 months of treatment, were considered as successful ablation.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The dosage of Tg in hypothyroidism, measured before the ablation, was the only independent predictor of ablation success in multivariate analysis (P < 0.0001), and the optimal cutoff for this cohort was 18 ng/mL. On univariate analysis, the high-risk staging was predictor of ablation failure.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The measurement of Tg in hypothyroidism before ablation might be useful if added to the routine evaluation of patients before I treatment because it was a good predictor of successful ablation.
authors.affiliation: Endocrinology Service, Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. dbkendler@hotmail.com
authors.forename: Daniel B
authors.initials: DB
authors.lastname: Kendler
authors.forename: Fernanda
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Vaisman
authors.forename: Rossana
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Corbo
authors.forename: Rosângela
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Martins
authors.forename: Mario
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Vaisman
mesh_terms: D055011:Ablation Techniques; D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000367:Age Factors; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007457:Iodine Radioisotopes / Q000627:therapeutic use; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009367:Neoplasm Staging; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012737:Sex Factors; D013954:Thyroglobulin / Q000097:blood*; D013963:Thyroid Hormones / Q000627:therapeutic use; D013964:Thyroid Neoplasms / Q000097:blood* / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery*; D013997:Time Factors; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D028761:Withholding Treatment; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D007457:Iodine Radioisotopes; D013963:Thyroid Hormones; D013954:Thyroglobulin