Thyroglobulin antibody status and differentiated thyroid cancer: what does it mean for prognosis and surveillance?
OBJECTIVE
To provide an overview of the clinical utility of thyroglobulin antibody (TgAb) measurements in the management of differentiated thyroid cancer (DTC), taking into consideration the methodological concerns associated with these measurements.


RESULTS
In the past 1 to 2 years, clinical studies have added to our understanding of the limitations and pitfalls associated with TgAb assay methods, the association of autoimmune thyroid disease with DTC, the prognostic significance of TgAb positivity and the clinical utility of the trend of TgAb measurements as a surrogate tumor marker.


CONCLUSIONS
TgAb trends appear to have clinical utility as a surrogate tumor marker in the surveillance of TgAb-positive DTC patients. The prognostic significance of TgAb status (positive/negative) as well as the nature and clinical significance of the association of autoimmune thyroid disease with DTC is less clear.
aDivision of Endocrinology and Metabolism, Harbor-UCLA Medical Center, Torrance bDavid Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA, Los Angeles, California, USA.
Andrew G
AG
Gianoukakis
D001323:Autoantibodies / Q000097:blood*; D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor / Q000097:blood*; D006801:Humans; D017410:Practice Guidelines as Topic; D011379:Prognosis; D012016:Reference Values; D013964:Thyroid Neoplasms / Q000097:blood / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000276:immunology; D013967:Thyroiditis, Autoimmune / Q000097:blood
D001323:Autoantibodies; D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor; C006606:anti-thyroglobulin