Cancer Management and Research (Apr 2024)
Serum Biochemical Markers for Medullary Thyroid Carcinoma: An Update
Abstract
Shuzhou Liu,1,* Hao Zhao,2,* Xiaoyi Li2 1Department of Head & Neck Surgery, Hainan General Hospital, Haikou, 570311, People’s Republic of China; 2Department of General Surgery, Peking Union Medical College Hospital, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences & Peking Union Medical College, Beijing, 100010, People’s Republic of China*These authors contributed equally to this workCorrespondence: Xiaoyi Li, Department of General Surgery, Peking Union Medical College Hospital, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences & Peking Union Medical College, No. 1 Shuai Fu Yuan, Dongcheng District, Beijing, 100730, People’s Republic of China, Email [email protected]: Medullary thyroid carcinoma (MTC), a rare malignancy, requires early diagnosis for optimal patient outcomes. An important aspect of MTC diagnosis is the assessment of serum biomarkers. This review aimed to evaluate the use of serum biomarkers in the diagnosis, prognosis, and follow-up of MTC.Methods: A thorough search of PubMed covering 1975 to 2022 was conducted to identify English-language articles on MTC serum biomarkers.Results: The review revealed that calcitonin (Ctn) and carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA) remain the most important serum biomarkers for MTC diagnosis and management. Despite limited studies on procalcitonin (PCT), its stability and ability to exclude interference from inflammation make it a valuable potential marker of MTC. Although the positive rate of serum CA19-9 levels in MTC patients was not high, it can be used as an indicator of poor prognosis in advanced MTC. Other serum markers, including chromogranin A, gastrin-releasing peptide precursor, and neurospecific enolase, did not show any unique value in MTC diagnosis and management.Conclusion: Taken together, this review emphasized the importance of serum biomarkers, particularly Ctn and CEA, in the diagnosis and management of MTC. PCT shows promise as a valuable potential marker, whereas CA19-9 can be used as a prognostic indicator of advanced MTC. Further research is needed to validate the significance of these serum biomarkers in MTC and determine the effects of confounding factors on their levels. Clinicians should consider using these markers in MTC diagnosis, prognosis, and follow-up, particularly for patients with advanced disease.Keywords: medullary thyroid carcinoma, serum biochemical markers, calcitonin, carcinoembryonic antigen, procalcitonin
