title: [Advances in thyroglobulin assays and their impact on the management of differentiated thyroid cancers].
abstract: Thyroglobulin (Tg) is a high molecular weight glycoprotein located mainly in thyroid follicles, where thyroid hormones are synthesized and stored. In patients with differentiated thyroid cancer of follicular origin, serum Tg levels become undetectable following total thyroidectomy and iodine-131 remnant ablation. It is a key biomarker to follow-up patients with differentiated thyroid cancer, in combination with neck ultrasound monitoring. The measurement of Tg in the wash-out of the needle used for fine needle aspiration biopsy is a valuable aid to the diagnosis of lymph node metastasis. The presence of anti-thyroglobulin antibodies affects reliability of Tg results measured in serum or plasma. Systematic investigation of such antibodies is required to validate any Tg assay. Elevated or rising levels of anti-thyroglobulin antibodies can in turn be used as a surrogate tumor marker of thyroid cancer. The development of second-generation Tg assay (automated, highly sensitive) has enabled significant advances in the management of differentiated thyroid cancer: early detection of persistent or recurrent disease and follow-up care simplified in low-risk patients. Testing of serum Tg can also be useful in evaluating other clinical situations such as congenital hypothyroidism, endemic goiter and thyrotoxicosis factitia.
authors.affiliation: Plateau d'immunoanalyse, Centre de biologie-pathologie-génétique, CHRU de Lille, France, Université de Lille II, France.
authors.forename: Michèle
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: d'Herbomez
authors.affiliation: Service de médecine nucléaire, Hôpital Salengro, CHRU de Lille, France.
authors.forename: Georges
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Lion
authors.affiliation: Service de médecine nucléaire, Hôpital Salengro, CHRU de Lille, France.
authors.forename: Amandine
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Béron
authors.affiliation: Université de Lille II, France, Clinique d'endocrinologie Marc Linquette, Hôpital Huriez, CHRU de Lille, France.
authors.forename: Jean-Louis
authors.initials: JL
authors.lastname: Wémeau
authors.affiliation: Clinique d'endocrinologie Marc Linquette, Hôpital Huriez, CHRU de Lille, France.
authors.forename: Christine
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: DoCao
mesh_terms: D000230:Adenocarcinoma / Q000097:blood / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000473:pathology / Q000628:therapy*; D001323:Autoantibodies / Q000032:analysis / Q000097:blood; D001681:Biological Assay / Q000379:methods / Q000592:standards / Q000639:trends; D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor / Q000032:analysis / Q000097:blood; D006801:Humans; D008991:Monitoring, Physiologic / Q000379:methods; D011379:Prognosis; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D013954:Thyroglobulin / Q000032:analysis* / Q000097:blood*; D013960:Thyroid Function Tests / Q000379:methods / Q000592:standards / Q000639:trends*; D013964:Thyroid Neoplasms / Q000097:blood / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000473:pathology / Q000628:therapy*
chemical_list: D001323:Autoantibodies; D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor; C006606:anti-thyroglobulin; D013954:Thyroglobulin
keywords: assays; biomarker; differentiated thyroid cancers; thyroglobulin