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Data-driven Thyroglobulin Cutoffs for Low- and Intermediate-risk Thyroid Cancer Follow-up: ITCO Real-world Analysis
Giorgio Grani1, Silvia D'Elia2, Efisio Puxeddu3
1Department of Translational and Precision Medicine, Sapienza University of Rome, 00161 Rome, Italy.
Context:
The utility of thyroglobulin (Tg) in the follow-up of patients with differentiated thyroid cancer has been well-documented. Although third-generation immunoassays have improved accuracy, limitations persist (interfering anti-Tg antibodies and measurement variability). Evolving treatment strategies require a reevaluation of Tg thresholds for optimal patient management.
Objective:
To assess the performance of serum Tg testing in 2 populations: patients receiving total thyroidectomy and radioiodine remnant ablation (RRA) or treated with thyroidectomy alone.
Design:
Prospective observational study.
Setting:
Centers contributing to the Italian Thyroid Cancer Observatory database.
Patients:
We included 540 patients with 5 years of follow-up and negative anti-Tg antibodies.
Interventions:
Serum Tg levels assessed at 1-year follow-up visit.
Main Outcome Measure:
Detection of structural disease within 5 years of follow-up.
Results:
After excluding 26 patients with structural disease detected at any time point, the median Tg did not differ between patients treated with or without radioiodine. Data-driven Tg thresholds were established based on the 97th percentile of Tg levels in disease-free individuals: 1.97 ng/mL for patients undergoing thyroidectomy alone (lower than proposed by the Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center protocol and ESMO Guidelines, yet demonstrating good predictive ability, with a negative predictive value of 98% and 0.84 ng/mL for patients receiving postsurgical RRA. High sensitivity and negative predictive value supported the potential of these thresholds in excluding structural disease.
Conclusion:
This real-world study provides evidence for the continued reliability of 1-year serum Tg levels. The data-driven Tg thresholds proposed offer valuable insights for clinical decision-making in patients undergoing total thyroidectomy with or without RRA.
