Thyroid cancer tumor markers

The main use of Tg measurement is as a tumor marker for patients with a diagnosis of differentiated thyroid cancer. Approximately two thirds of these patients have an elevated preoperative Tg level. An elevated preoperative level of Tg confirms the tumor s ability to secrete Tg and validates the use of postoperative measurement of Tg to monitor for tumor recurrence. Postoperatively, the most sensitive method to detect residual tumor or metastasis is after TSH stimulation. In weU-differentiated tumors, a tenfold increase in Tg levels is seen after TSH stimulation. Poorly differentiated tumors, that do not concentrate iodide, may display a blunted response to TSH stimulation. 

Tg is primarily used as a tumor marker in patients carrying a diagnosis of differentiated thyroid carcinoma (DTC). Although serum Tg is elevated in patients with thyroid cancer, including thyroid follicular and papillary carcinoma, elevations are also are seen in nonneoplastic conditions such as thyroid adenoma, subacute thyroiditis, Hashimoto s thyroiditis, and Graves disease. Serum Tg concentrations are not increased in patients with medullary thyroid carcinoma. 

Wiseman SM, Melck A, Masoudi H, et al. Molecular phenotype of thyroid tumors identifiers A marker panel for differentiated thyroid cancer diagnosis. Am Surg Oncol. 2008 15 2811-2826. 

P.M. et al. (2001) Circulating calcitonin and carcinoembryonic antigen m-RNA detected by RT-PCR as tumor markers in medullary thyroid carcinoma. Br J Cancer, 85, 154-1550. 

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