[Serum thyroglobulin estimation for follow-up of patients with thyroid carcinoma (author's transl)]

Thyroglobulin concentrations were determined radioimmunologically in the sera of 53 patients operated for thyroid carcinoma. 37 patients without metastases or recurrence had either very low (up to maximally 15 ng/ml) or non-demonstrable thyroglobulin concentrations, whereas 16 patients with metastases showed values of more than 40 ng/ml up to maximal values of more than 1000 ng/ml. In the majority of patients follow-up controls, in part up to 2 years, were performed. A far-reaching conformity of thyroglobulin concentrations with scintigraphic or clinical findings of metastases was shown. Thyroglobulin estimation in operated thyroid cancer patients is thus an important contribution to the aftercare.