Pre-Ablation Thyroglobulin Levels and Persistence / Recurrence Associated to Early Differentiated Thyroid Cancer

Abstract

Introduction: Differentiated thyroid cancer is the most frequent endocrine neoplasm in the world and its incidence is growing rapidly. The relationship between levels of pre-ablation thyroglobulin (Tg) and early persistence/recurrence of differentiated thyroid cancer was studied. Materials and Methods: 91 patients with papillary thyroid cancer who underwent post-surgical ablation with radioactive iodine registered in the Fundacion Cardioinfantil between January 2006 and January 2010 were evaluated. The analysis of the results was performed using the SPSS statistical package and the research hypothesis was evaluated using nonparametric methods. Results: The disease progressed in 20 patients during the first year post-ablation, at the end of this period (p=0.000) a significant relationship between pre-ablation Tg and disease status was found. In the group of individuals by whom the disease progressed there was no significant change in Tg between the first and the second semester post-ablation (p = 0.554); there were no cases of recurrence/persistence in those with levels less than or equal to 2.7 ng/mL; 80 % of these cases involved individuals with initial levels higher than 24 ng/mL. Conclusion: In patients with papillary thyroid cáncer the serum pre-ablation Tg is related to the disease status at the end of the first year post-ablation. The persistence/recurrence is less frequent in low levels and more frequent in higher levels.

Keywords

• Thyroglobulin
• neoplasms
• thyroid gland
• prognosis.