The usefulness of serum thyroglobulin in the follow-up of differentiated thyroid carcinoma in children

✍ Scribed by Kirk, Jeremy M. W. ;Mort, Catherine ;Grant, David B. ;Touzel, Richard J. ;Plowman, Nicholas

• Publisher: John Wiley and Sons
• Year: 1992
• Tongue: English
• Weight: 989 KB
• Volume: 20
• Category: Article
• ISSN: 0098-1532
• DOI: 10.1002/mpo.2950200304

✦ Synopsis

Abstract

Serum thyroglobulin has been measured serially in ten children aged 5–17 years presenting with differentiated thyroid carcinoma. At presentation 4 had intra‐thyroidal disease, 3 had lymph node metastases, and 3 had lung metastases. During follow‐up for a median of 37.0 months (range 21–108) 3 patients have been disease‐free, 4 have had a local relapse, and 3 have had persistent disease. Seventy‐seven separate serum thyroglobulin measurements have been performed; 36 on and 41 off thyroid replacement therapy. A level of thyroglobulin of <5 ng/ml was taken as indicative of absence of disease, and compared against combined clinical examination and ^131^ I scanning. Over‐all sensitivity of thyroglobulin measurement was 36/37 (97%), and although specificity was 30/40 (75%), this rose to 30/32 (94%) if raised thyroglobulin levels noted within 3 months of ^131^ I therapy in otherwise asymptomatic patients (n = 4) or in subjects with intact thyroid tissue (n = 4) were excluded. Concordance with clinical status was 30/31 (97%) in measurements taken on, and 31/32 (94%) in those taken off, thyroid replacement. These data indicate that thyroglobulin measurement is a sensitive and specific means of detecting residual, recurrent, and metastatic thyroid carcinoma in children. © 1992 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.