title: Thyroglobulin in differentiated thyroid cancer.
abstract: Identification of differentiated thyroid cancer (DTC) is becoming increasingly common. Patients usually have an excellent prognosis. Most undergo total thyroidectomy, radioiodine ablation and treatment with suppressive doses of levothyroxine. Patients require long term follow-up which includes measurement of serum thyroglobulin (Tg). Interpretation of serum Tg requires knowledge of the concurrent thyroid stimulating hormone (TSH) concentration, as secretion is TSH dependant, and an awareness of the limitations of the methods used to measure it. These limitations include the heterogeneity of Tg in serum, the ability of assays to recognise forms of Tg secreted by a tumour, assay biases and not least the potential for interference in immunoassays for Tg from endogenous thyroglobulin antibodies (TgAbs) in patient serum. This review considers what the clinician wants to know and how Tg results can be interpreted in light of an awareness of assay limitations.
authors.affiliation: Department of Medical Biochemistry & Immunology, University Hospital of Wales, Heath Park, Cardiff CF14 4XW, UK. Electronic address: Carol.evans9@wales.nhs.uk.
authors.forename: Carol
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Evans
authors.affiliation: Department of Medical Biochemistry & Immunology, University Hospital of Wales, Heath Park, Cardiff CF14 4XW, UK.
authors.forename: Sarah
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Tennant
authors.affiliation: Institute of Genetic Medicine, Newcastle University, Central Parkway, Newcastle upon Tyne, Tyne NE1 3BZ, UK.
authors.forename: Petros
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Perros
mesh_terms: D006801:Humans; D007118:Immunoassay; D013954:Thyroglobulin / Q000097:blood*; D013964:Thyroid Neoplasms / Q000097:blood*
chemical_list: D013954:Thyroglobulin
keywords: Differentiated thyroid cancer; Thyroglobulin