18 Thyroglobulin Carole A. Spencer and Shireen Fatemi

Serum thyroglobulin (Tg) measurements are a follows that when interpreting a serum Tg value, cornerstone for managing patients with differ- it is important to weigh patient-specific pathol- entiated thyroid carcinomas (DTC). The clinical ogy and treatment together with the technical utility of serum Tg testing is predicated on the limitations of the method. This chapter will tissue-specific origin of circulating Tg protein focus on the technical strengths and pitfalls of (thyroid follicular cells). However, since the current Tg methods and the clinical utility maturation and secretion of a mature Tg mole- of using serum Tg measurement as a tumor- cule is complex, it is not surprising that circu- marker for DTC. lating Tg is heterogeneous, and that as tumors dedifferentiate they can lose their capability to synthesize, iodinate, and secrete conformation- ally normal Tg protein [1,2]. Consequently, Technical Strengths and current Tg immunometric assays (IMA), based Pitfalls of Serum Tg on monoclonal antibodies with restricted epi- tope specificity, may only recognize a limited Measurement population of Tg isoforms secreted by a neo- plasm [3,4]. It follows that specificity differences Over the last decade, IMA methodology has largely explain the wide method-to-method largely replaced radioimmunoassays (RIA) variability that precludes changing assays when for measuring serum Tg concentrations. IMA serially monitoring DTC patients. Serum Tg methods are favored by laboratories because concentrations should be interpreted relative to: they can be automated and require a shorter (1) the mass of thyroid tissue present (normal incubation to achieve maximal sensitivity, as remnant and/or tumor); (2) any inflammation compared with RIA [9,10]. Current Tg assays of, or injury to, thyroid tissue, such caused by suffer from a number of technical limitations fine-needle aspiration biopsy (FNAB), thyroid that negatively impact their clinical utility. surgery, radioactive iodine (RAI) therapy, These include (a) large between-method biases or thyroiditis; and (3) the thyroid-stimulating that preclude the use of different methods hormone (TSH) status of the patient, since the for serial monitoring of DTC patients; (b) sub- stimulation of TSH receptors by either endoge- optimal between-run precision across the long nous or recombinant human TSH (rhTSH), intervals generally used to monitor DTC the high human chorionic gonatropin (hCG) patients (~12 months) that can mask clinically of pregnancy, or the thyroid-stimulating im- important changes; (c) inadequate sensitivity munoglobulins present in Graves’ disease, that compromises the early detection of re- elevate the serum Tg concentration [5–8]. It currence; and (d) interferences by TgAb and

211 212 Practical Management of Thyroid Cancer

Figure 18.1 Serum Tg concentrations measured in 88 TgAb-negative normal euthyroid volunteers (TSH 0.5–2.5mIU/L) using dif- ferent methods.Method #1 = University of Southern California RIA,Los Angeles,CA,USA;method #2 = DSL RIA,Websster,Texas,USA; method #3 = Nichols Advantage ICMA, Nichols Institute Diagnostics ICMA, San Juan Capistrano, CA, USA; method #4 = CIS; method #5 = Access ICMA, Beckman-Coulter, Fullerton, CA, USA; method #6 = Immulite ICMA, Diagnostic Products Corporation, Los Angeles, CA, USA; method #7 = Brahms Kryptor, Berlin, Germany.The shaded area approximates the functional sensitivity. Median values are indicated. heterophilic antibodies (HAMA) that can lead (Figure 18.1A). The new guidelines consider a to the reporting of falsely low or high serum Tg change in serum Tg during thyroid hormone values [7,9,11–13]. suppression therapy (THST) in excess of 1.5mg/L to be clinically significant [10]. Current Between-Method Biases between-method biases alone could easily produce this magnitude of change, since current Unfortunately, a change in Tg method during biases exceed the within-person variability of the course of monitoring a DTC patient can serum Tg concentrations (10–15%) [10,14]. produce a shift in the serial Tg pattern that can Thus, significant assay biases preclude chang- cause clinical confusion. Figure 18.1 shows a ing methods during long-term monitoring of representative comparison of Tg measurements patients. For example, a change from a Tg made by two RIA and five IMA methods in sera method with a positive bias to one with a nega- from normal euthyroid subjects with TSH in the tive bias has the potential to mask recurrent 0.5–2.5mIU/L range, with or without detectable disease, whereas a change from a method with TgAb (Figures 18.1A and 18.1B, respectively). a negative bias to one with a positive bias would When TgAb was absent, the methods displayed cause concern for recurrence that could poten- a threefold difference in absolute Tg values tially lead to unnecessary imaging or RAI treat- Thyroglobulin 213 ment. It is now recommended that laboratories Suboptimal Sensitivity consult their physician-users before implement- ing any change in Tg method, and when the bias TSH and Tg assay development share many between the old and proposed new method analogies concerning their quests for improved exceeds 10% the re-baselining of patients is rec- sensitivity. The clinical utility of TSH measure- ommended [10]. Practically, the relative bias ment has been dramatically enhanced over between methods can be assessed from a com- the last decade by the optimization of IMA parison between the mean reference range value methodology, leading to a 100-fold improve- of the methods in question. ment in TSH assay functional sensitivity. Unfor- There are a number of reasons for persis- tunately, the development of more sensitive Tg tent biases between different Tg methods. The assays is still in its infancy. Currently, Tg assay biosynthesis of a mature Tg molecule within the functional sensitivity ranges between 0.3 and follicular cell is a complex vectoral process that 2.5mg/L (Figure 18.1). As shown in Figure 18.2, is orchestrated by different molecular chaper- a 100-fold improvement in Tg assay functional one proteins [15]. Given the complexity of this, sensitivity (~0.01mg/L) would dramatically im- it is not surprising that Tg molecular processing prove the diagnostic sensitivity of measuring Tg may become unregulated in thyroid tumors, during THST.Specifically,Figure 18.2 shows that leading to heterogeneity in tumor-derived Tg there is a striking linear relationship between protein in the circulation.Different Tg assay for- the serum Tg nadir measured without TSH mulations employ a variety of Tg monoclonal stimulation in the first postoperative year and antibody reagents that vary with respect to their long-term (median 8-year) recurrence risk [16]. specificity for different epitopes on tumor- This suggests that less than 1% of patients derived Tg. This can result in the measurement with serum Tg below 0.1mg/L during their first of different Tg isoforms in the specimen and postoperative year would suffer a recurrence give rise to differences in serum Tg measure- [16,17]. ments made by assays [4]. Compounding these As Tg assay sensitivity becomes a marketing specificity differences are differences in assay issue, there will be increasing commercial pres- standardization and the use of non-serum cali- sure for the diagnostic kit manufacturers to make brator matrices that behave differently from unrealistic claims for the sensitivity of their tests. human sera [9]. The guidelines state that the functional sensi- tivity of a Tg assay should be determined from the lowest Tg value that can be measured with Between-Run Precision 20% between-run coefficient of variation, using TgAb-negative human sera measured across a Current Tg assays have suboptimal between- 6- to 12-month period and using different lots run precision across the long follow-up interval of reagent [10]. It is critical that Tg method (6–12 months) typical of monitoring patients comparisons are made on the basis of functional with DTC. It is well known that the between- sensitivity and that descriptive terms such as run precision of a biochemical test erodes over “ultrasensitive” and “supersensitive” are not used time as a consequence of changing reagent lots, for marketing purposes [10]. instrument calibrations and a myriad of other Unfortunately, even with Tg assay functional less well-defined factors. The loss of assay pre- sensitivity determined according to the stan- cision over the time between clinical evaluations dardized protocol, the absolute (mg/L) func- negatively impacts the ability to detect small tional sensitivity of different methods cannot be clinically significant changes, especially at the compared because of method biases (Figure extremes of the Tg measurement range. The 18.1A). The ability to detect small amounts of guidelines suggest that laboratories should tumor is related to the degree of discrimination archive specimens remaining after serum Tg between the assay lower reference limit for testing to allow concurrent measurement of the normal euthyroid subjects and its functional past and current specimens from the patient in sensitivity. Currently, there is very little dis- the same run, thereby eliminating between-run crimination between the lower reference limit errors and improving the clinical sensitivity of for normal euthyroid subjects and the func- the test [7,10]. tional sensitivity limits of current methods, as 214 Practical Management of Thyroid Cancer

Figure 18.2 The relationship between cumulative percent recurrence in a cohort of 278 papillary thyroid cancer patients followed over a median of 8 years and the median group serum Tg nadir value reported (in the absence of TSH stimulation) during the first year fol- lowing thyroidectomy. G1 had serum Tg nadirs between 1.0 and 1.9mg/L; G2 had serum Tg nadirs between 2.0 and 4.9mg/L;G3 had serum Tg nadirs between 5 and 10mg/L; G4 had serum Tg nadirs above 10mg/L [16].

shown in Figure 18.1A. In fact, serum Tg was studies can be used to supply reassurance that paradoxically undetectable for some subjects by disease is absent. However, overestimation may some methods. A new Tg assay nomenclature lead to the administration of unnecessary system has recently been proposed where- empiric radioactive iodine (RAI) treatments, by each “generation” of assay would display because it is difficult to know if the detection of an order of magnitude greater discrimination circulating Tg in a patient with a negative diag- between the lower reference limit and func- nostic RAI scan reflects the insensitivity of tional sensitivity [13]. Under this proposal, RAI imaging or Tg overestimation due to an current Tg assays would be defined as “first gen- interference [12,20–22]. eration”. Ideally, third generation Tg assays, characterized by functional sensitivities in TgAb Interference the 0.001 to 0.01mg/L range would dramatically improve the clinical sensitivity of Tg testing TgAb interference with serum Tg measurement during THST (Figure 18.2) [18,19]. is undoubtedly the most serious technical pro- blem that currently compromises the use of serum Tg as a tumor marker for patients with Interferences with Serum Tg DTC. The magnitude of the problem is evident Measurements from the high prevalence of TgAb detected in DTC patients (~20%) [10,23,24]. It has been rec- Thyroglobulin autoantibody (TgAb) and het- ognized for more than thirty years that endo- erophilic antibody (HAMA) interferences with genous TgAb has the potential to interfere with Tg measurements can result in either an under- Tg measurements made by either by IMA or or overestimation of the serum Tg concentra- RIA methodology [10,23,25,26]. When TgAb is tion. Underestimation is the most clinically present, Tg molecules circulate either as free problematic direction of interference because Tg or become complexed with endogenous it has the potential to mask the detection of TgAb. The direction and magnitude of any disease. Although overestimation raises patient interference is primarily determined by the and physician concerns for recurrence, imaging characteristics of the assay reagents. Although Thyroglobulin 215 bi-directional interference is possible with RIA Tg antigen, suggesting that the detectable RIA methods, the direction and magnitude of any value is more clinically appropriate [23,29,33]. interference is primarily determined by the Given the propensity for IMA methodology to affinity and specificity of the endogenous TgAb. underestimate Tg in the presence of TgAb, the Overestimated Tg RIA values would result if reporting of an undetectable Tg IMA result for the endogenous TgAb sequestered Tg-I125 tracer a thyroidectomized DTC patient with TgAb has and prevented it from participating in the com- no clinical value. Further, such a report has the petitive reaction. Conversely, underestimation potential to mask disease, the risk of which is would result if the second antibody reagent increased when TgAb is present [23,24,26,34]. lacked species specificity and precipitated This underscores the importance of the guide- tracer bound to the endogenous TgAb [25,27]. line (no. 46) that recommends, “laboratories RIA methods constructed with a combination of should not report an undetectable serum Tg high affinity first antibody and species-specific when TgAb is present if that method produces second antibody usually report clinically appro- inappropriately low or undetectable serum Tg priate total Tg (free Tg plus Tg complexed with for TgAb-positive DTC patients with docu- TgAb) in the presence of TgAb [13,23,28,29]. mented disease” [10]. Currently, most clinical The validity of Tg RIA measurement of TgAb- laboratories use IMA methodology to measure positive sera is supported by the data shown serum Tg irrespective of the TgAb status of the in Figure 18.1 whereby both RIA methods patient, and persist in reporting “undetectable” reported that the serum Tg values of TgAb- Tg IMA values for sera containing TgAb. This positive normal euthyroid subjects were practice persists despite laboratory disclaimers essentially indistinguishable from those of TgAb- that the result might be unreliable. Some labo- negative subjects (Figure 18.1B versus 18.1A, ratories now limit the use of IMA methodology respectively). In contrast, each of the five IMA to TgAb-negative sera and use RIA methodol- methods reported paradoxically undetectable ogy to measure serum Tg when TgAb is serum Tg for some of the TgAb-positive normal detected [23,35]. subjects. Many studies have now established that TgAb interference with Tg IMA measure- Heterophilic Antibody (HAMA) Interferences ments is always unidirectional (underestima- tion) and that paradoxically undetectable Tg In general, the presence of HAMA in the cir- IMA values are frequently reported for TgAb- culation can cause an overestimation of any positive DTC patients with documented disease analyte measured by IMA methodology [11,36]. as well as TgAb-positive patients with Graves’ This is because HAMA can cause a false bridge thyrotoxicosis [23,24,26,30]. The propensity for between the capture and signal monoclonal TgAb interference is method-dependent and antibodies employed as IMA reagents, thereby unpredictable since it relates to the characteris- creating a high signal on the solid support that tics of the endogenous TgAb and the relation- will be read out as a falsely high analyte value. ship between the free and TgAb-complexed Tg One recent study of an automated Tg IMA in the circulation [23]. Physicians should be method reported that falsely high serum Tg aware that any IMA method has the potential to values caused by the presence of HAMA were underestimate the serum Tg concentration even seen in 2–3% of serum specimens sent for Tg when TgAb levels are very low or below the pos- testing [12]. In contrast, RIA methods are not itive cutoff of the method [23,24,31,32]. prone to HAMA interference [11]. When TgAb is present, there is often discor- dance between the serum Tg reported by an RIA and that reported by an IMA method [23]. In Tg Testing of TgAb-Negative such cases, the RIA value is often detectable DTC Patients (Without TSH whereas the IMA value is typically lower or undetectable (Figure 18.1B). Although an unde- Stimulation) tectable Tg IMA result would appear appropri- ate for a thyroidectomized patient, the presence As shown in Figure 18.3, serum Tg and TgAb of TgAb in the circulation indicates that the measurements are critical for all phases of man- immune system is still sensing the presence of aging DTC patients. 216 Practical Management of Thyroid Cancer

Figure 18.3 Algorithm for risk stratification of patients with DTC. Rx, therapy; UTZ, ultrasound. Thyroglobulin 217

Preoperative Serum Tg vailing TSH status [49]. A number of studies report that 1 month following thyroidectomy Measurements when endogenous TSH has become elevated The majority of thyroid tumors, especially fol- before RAI treatment, an undetectable (<1mg/L) licular and Hürthle cell tumors, are associated serum Tg is a good prognostic indicator with an elevated preoperative serum Tg con- [8,50–53]. In patients in whom RAI treatment is centration (relative to the normal reference deferred, thyroid hormone therapy should be range) [37–39]. In fact, an elevated serum Tg initiated immediately after surgery to prevent concentration is a nonspecific risk factor for the rise in TSH. In these patients, postoperative thyroid malignancy and the degree of preoper- serum Tg concentrations stabilize by 1 to 2 ative elevation relates to the risk for metastases months at a level that reflects the size of the [38,40,41]. Tumors differ in their ability to syn- thyroid remnant and the mass of any residual thesize and secrete a conformationally normal tumor. The tumor’s contribution to the postop- Tg protein [1,2,42]. The increased Tg secretion erative Tg level will relate to its ability to secrete rates and elevated preoperative serum Tg con- Tg, as judged from the relationship between centrations seen with DTC are likely to result preoperative Tg and tumor size. There is from abnormalities in Tg molecular processing currently no universally recognized serum Tg [15,37,38,43]. A preoperative serum Tg meas- cutoff value that distinguishes disease-free urement provides a gauge of the relationship patients from those with persistent tumor. A between tumor mass and Tg secretion and number of factors preclude establishing a uni- helps with the interpretation of postoperative versal Tg cutoff value with both good sensitiv- Tg measurements by authenticating the use ity as well as specificity for disease [6,54]. These of serum Tg as a tumor marker test [38,44]. For include the technical factors discussed earlier example, large tumors that are not associated (assay bias and insensitivity) compounded by with an elevated preoperative serum Tg are differences in the amount of remnant tissue left likely to be poor Tg secretors [38,44]. In such after surgery, differences in the efficiency of cases, an undetectable postoperative serum Tg tumor-derived Tg secretion and differences in report will be less reassuring without evidence the tumor’s sensitivity to TSH. Further, there are that the tumor is capable of secreting Tg differences in the sensitivity of the various protein. In such patients any Tg detected in the modalities used to determine the presence of circulation after thyroidectomy could represent disease [20,55–59]. a large mass of residual tumor.It follows that the The approximate two-gram normal thyroid sensitivity of postoperative Tg measurement remnant that is generally left after thyroidec- will be highest when a small primary tumor is tomy is expected to produce a serum Tg con- associated with an elevated preoperative serum centration approximating 2mg/L in the absence Tg. Because FNAB increases serum Tg, speci- of TSH stimulation [10,60]. The amount of Tg mens drawn for the preoperative Tg assessment secreted by the normal remnant depends on the should be taken either before biopsy and held to degree of surgery and the effectiveness of any await the cytological diagnosis, or deferred for RAI therapy [49,60]. Studies report that the more than 2 weeks after FNAB [45]. effectiveness of RAI treatment for remnant ablation varies and depends on the dose used and remnant mass [60,61]. Although serum Tg concentrations measured early in the postoper- Early (<12 months) Postoperative ative period have been shown to relate to long- Serum Tg Measurements term recurrence risk, patients with a low but detectable (£3mg/L) serum Tg early in the post- Estimates vary, but the half-life of Tg in the cir- operative period do not necessarily have per- culation approximates 3–4 days [46–48]. Fol- sistent disease [7,21,54]. A recent study reports lowing the postoperative rise in serum Tg that there is a striking linear relationship secondary to trauma, the dominant influences between the serum Tg nadir measured in the on postoperative serum Tg concentrations are first postoperative year (without TSH stimula- the mass of thyroid tissue remaining (normal tion) and cumulative recurrence (Figure 18.2) remnant plus any tumor) together with the pre- [16]. 218 Practical Management of Thyroid Cancer

Long-Term Serial Tg Monitoring sub-potent generic L-T4 preparation. Noncom- pliance cannot necessarily be detected by TSH A diagnosis of DTC is often made in the third measurement if patients resume compliance or fourth decade of life. Since recurrences can shortly before the clinic visit, since the half-life occur decades after thyroidectomy patients of TSH in the circulation is much shorter require life-long monitoring for recurrence than that of Tg protein (~1 hour versus ~4 days) with clinical examinations, selected imaging, [46–48,74]. Strategies used to rule out a TSH- and serial serum Tg and TgAb measurements mediated rise in serum Tg include counseling [62,63]. Historically, a negative diagnostic RAI the patient about compliance or testing the ade- whole-body scan has been used as the gold stan- quacy of the L-T4 dose. The latter can be made dard for the absence of disease [60,64–66]. With either by empirically increasing the dose and the increasing use of imaging modalities such as rechecking serum Tg after 6–8 weeks, or by ultrasound, CT, MRI, and PET, it is now appar- administering an oral one-milligram loading ent that low dose RAI imaging is less sensitive dose of L-T4 [75].A TSH-mediated Tg rise would than Tg testing [20,55,57,59,67–70]. Postopera- be suspected if the serum Tg concentration fell tive serum Tg concentrations reflect the inte- 30–50% of basal levels by 8 days following the grated influences of the mass of thyroid tissue L-T4 loading dose [75,76].A rise in the serum Tg remaining (remnant plus any tumor) and the concentration in the face of a stable TSH status efficiency of the tumor to secrete Tg protein rel- likely reflects an increase in tumor mass, since ative to the ambient TSH concentration. Steadily Tg secretion from normal remnant typically decreasing serum Tg during THST is the hall- does not increase in the absence of a change in mark of successful treatment [7,21,54,70]. The TSH [49]. Currently a rise in serum Tg of pattern of serial Tg measurements made during 1.5mg/L or >10% is considered clinically the TSH-suppressed state is more clinically significant [10]. Small changes in serum Tg are useful than an isolated Tg value [7,53,71,72]. especially significant when a large tumor has However, it is critical that the same method is been identified as a poor Tg secretor, as judged used for serial Tg monitoring because of the from a non-elevated preoperative serum Tg. biases between assays discussed earlier [10,63]. A progressively decreasing Tg pattern is typical of patients who become disease-free, whereas a Monitoring DTC Patients persistently detectable or rising Tg pattern is typical of patients with persistent or recurrent with TgAb disease [7,63,71,72]. The progressive decline in serum Tg seen in RAI-treated patients likely Tg autoantibodies are more commonly encoun- reflects the long-term (2- to 3-year) sterilization tered in DTC patients than in the general effect of RAI, as tumor cells die off as a conse- population (~20% versus ~10%, respectively) quence of radiation damage [7,21,53,54,70,73]. [23,24,77]. All sera sent for Tg measurement Interestingly, a progressive decline in serum Tg require adjunctive TgAb testing, because the is also often seen in patients who do not receive TgAb status of a patient can change over time RAI, presumably reflecting a decrease in thyroid from positive to negative and vice versa tissue mass secondary to impairment of TSH- [10,23,24]. There is now consensus that it is dependent mitotic activity [7,54,73]. essential to detect TgAb directly by using a sen- A rise in serum Tg during serial monitoring sitive and precise TgAb immunoassay and not is often the first sign of recurrence [7,53,63,72]. an exogenous Tg recovery test [9,10,26,78–80]. However, a rise in serum Tg could reflect either Recoveries are not only an unreliable means to an increase in tumor mass (when TSH is stable) detect interfering TgAb but unlike direct TgAb or increased TSH stimulation of a constant mass measurement, they cannot be used as a serial of thyroid tissue. Many well-differentiated quantitative tumor marker [10,23]. In fact, the thyroid tumors are exquisitely sensitive to Guidelines clearly state that, “recovery tests do the ambient TSH concentration [7,72]. Before not reliably detect TgAb and should be discour- attributing a rise in serum Tg to tumor recur- aged and eliminated” [10]. The propensity for rence, it is important to ensure that the change TgAb to interfere with Tg measurements is is not TSH-mediated secondary to noncom- only weakly related to the TgAb concentration pliance with L-T4 therapy, or a switch to a because endogenous Tg antibodies are hetero- Thyroglobulin 219 geneous and their avidity for Tg protein is not TgAb can lead to the reporting of falsely low necessarily related to the measured TgAb con- or paradoxically undetectable serum Tg IMA centration [23,31,32,81]. Failure to detect TgAb values for patients with disease [23,24,26]. TgAb in a specimen has serious consequences, since interference with Tg measurements, especially interference leading to the reporting of a false- when made by IMA methodology, is likely to negative serum Tg result could cause a delay remain a problem for the foreseeable future. in the detection and treatment of metastatic Fortunately, serial TgAb concentrations can be disease [10,23,26,31,32]. used as a surrogate tumor marker for monitor- ing the disease status of TgAb-positive DTC patients. Clinical Utility of Serial TgAb Measurements Tg mRNA Determinations in A number of studies report that serial TgAb Peripheral Blood measurements per se can be used as a surrogate tumor marker test for TgAb-positive patients The reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain with DTC, since TgAb concentrations respond reaction (RT-PCR) amplification of tissue- to changes in circulating Tg antigen [23,24, specific mRNAs has been used to detect circu- 33,82,83]. This is evident from the dramatic fall lating cancer cells in the peripheral blood of (~50%) in TgAb concentrations during the first patients with melanoma, prostate and breast 6 months following thyroidectomy or lymph malignancies [89]. Detection of Tg mRNA as a node removal [23,24,84]. In fact, when TgAb- marker for DTC was first reported in 1996 [90]. positive patients are rendered athyrotic, serum Subsequently, RT-PCR has been used to detect TgAb concentrations progressively decline and other thyroid-specific mRNAs (TPO, NIS, and generally become undetectable within the first TSH-receptor) in peripheral blood or lymph few postoperative years. In contrast the TgAb in node aspirates of DTC patients [91–94]. Cur- patients with persistent disease characteristi- rently, it appears unlikely that Tg mRNA testing cally remains detectable, or the serum TgAb will prove useful for facilitating therapeutic concentrations rise over time [23,24,26,31,33,82, decision-making for DTC patients, since studies 83]. Whereas a rise in serum TgAb is often the have reported disparate conclusions regarding first indication of recurrence, a transient rise in the clinical sensitivity and specificity of RT-PCR TgAb should be expected as a response to testing for detecting DTC disease [18,92–101]. It increased Tg antigen released by radiolytic is not clear whether these disparate conclusions destruction of thyroid tissue during the first 1–3 reflect the insensitivity of RAI imaging that was months following RAI treatment [84–87]. In used to detect disease in most studies, RT-PCR fact, a rise in TgAb following a therapeutic artifact, primer selection, or illegitimate tran- dose of RAI may even be an indicator of the scription, the latter being a recognized limita- efficacy of RAI treatment of a TgAb-positive tion of RT-PCR methodology [89,94,102]. Even patient. Clearly TgAb is heterogeneous, and if Tg mRNA testing were proved clinically useful TgAb methods differ in sensitivity and spe- in the future, the expense of this technique cificity [23,81]. It is important to recognize that compared with that of serum Tg measurement serial TgAb measurements can only be used as would likely restrict its use to high risk patients a tumor marker when the same manufacturer’s or TgAb-positive patients in whom serum Tg method is used, because the absolute TgAb measurements were proved to be diagnostically values reported by different methods can differ unreliable [93,103]. by as much as 100-fold despite claims that methods are standardized against the MRC 65/93 reference preparation [10,23,88]. It is not TSH-Stimulated Tg Testing uncommon for a patient to be judged TgAb- negative by one manufacturer’s method and TgAb-NegativeDTC Patients TgAb-positive by another [23,31,32]. Low con- centrations of TgAb that may not be detected by Over the last three decades, many studies have some methods can interfere with Tg measure- reported that elevated endogenous TSH, or ment [23,31,32].Failure to detect the presence of the administration of bovine TSH, increases 220 Practical Management of Thyroid Cancer the serum Tg concentration [104,105]. It is (less than threefold) increases in serum Tg well established that TSH stimulation enhances in response to TSH stimulation, in the future, the sensitivity of using Tg measurements to the magnitude of the rhTSH-stimulated Tg detect disease [6,8,106,107]. Recently, rhTSH- response may prove to be a useful indicator of stimulated Tg testing has become preferred to the tumor’s dependence on TSH and thus the the practice of withdrawing thyroid hormone to efficacy of TSH suppression therapy [72,113]. raise endogenous TSH, with its attendant Because the rhTSH-stimulated Tg response hypothyroid symptoms [108]. There is growing is predictable, rhTSH administration only im- consensus that rhTSH-stimulated Tg testing is proves the clinical sensitivity of Tg testing superior for detecting recurrent disease com- when the basal serum Tg is undetectable during pared with diagnostic RAI imaging, even THST.As more sensitive Tg assays become avail- though the serum Tg response to rhTSH ad- able, the clinical sensitivity of measuring serum ministration is only half of the response to Tg during THST will improve (Figure 18.2) and the rise in endogenous TSH following thyroid the need for rhTSH stimulation will decline, hormone withdrawal [6,20,59,67,68,70,109,110]. analogous to the elimination of routine TRH There is a linear, approximate 10-fold relation- testing after the adoption of more sensitive TSH ship between the basal (THST) and 72-hour assays [18,19,115]. rhTSH-stimulated serum Tg concentrations of When recombinant human TSH was both normal control subjects and patients with approved for clinical use a 72-hour post DTC, as shown in Figure 18.4 [6,72,111,112]. rhTSH-stimulated serum Tg value of ≥2mg/L This is in accord with the factors known was established as the cutoff for a positive to influence the degree of TSH-stimulated Tg response suggestive of disease [6]. Since then, response, which include: (1) the magnitude there has been growing recognition that this and chronicity of the TSH elevation; (2) the cutoff level compromises the clinical sensitivity mass of remnant thyroid tissue present, and of rhTSH-stimulated Tg testing. Specifically, (3) the mass and TSH responsiveness of the serum Tg concentrations in the 1–2mg/L range tumor [6,72,113]. However, the magnitude of are close to the lower reference limit for healthy the rhTSH-stimulated response varies consider- euthyroid subjects with intact thyroid glands, ably among patients (threefold to >20-fold) thus making it increasingly difficult to discern [6,111,112]. This may relate to differences in between true disease and normal remnant body surface area and/or reflect the tumor’s tissue [6,10,20]. It has been recommended that intrinsic sensitivity to TSH [6,72,113,114]. Since a more conservative rhTSH-stimulated serum poorly differentiated tumors display blunted Tg cutoff of ≥1mg/L should be adopted [69,114].

2000

1000 G9

(8)

100 G8 G7

(9) G6 10 (9) Figure 18.4 Relationship between the 72-hour G5 G4 mean basal (THST) serum Tg concentra- rhTSH-stimulated G3 serum Tg (mg/L) (15) tion and the mean 72-hour rhTSH- (24) stimulated serum Tg.Tests were grouped 1 (20) G2 (58) according to the basal Tg concentration. G1 had basal Tg between 0.05 and G1 0.1mg/L; G2 between 0.2 and 0.3mg/L; 0.1 (58) G3 between 0.1 and 0.2mg/L; G4 between 0.3 and 0.5mg/L; G5 between (29) 0.5 and 1.0mg/L; G6 between 1 and 2 0.01 mg/L; G7 between 2 and 5mg/L; G8 0.05 0.1 1 10 100 between 5 and 10mg/L; and G9 was mean basal (THST) Tg mg/L >10mg/L. Thyroglobulin 221

Figure 18.5 Meta-analysis of eight studies [68,110,117,141–144] showing the outcome of rhTSH-stimulated serum Tg testing of 784 patients with undetectable serum Tg during thyroid hormone suppression therapy (THST) [20].

With this lower cutoff, 20% of patients with has a low positive predictive value for disease undetectable (<1mg/L) serum Tg during THST and that the addition of ultrasound to Tg meas- display detectable serum Tg after rhTSH stimu- ured during THST dramatically improves the lation [6,20,56]. One important drawback of sensitivity and specificity of monitoring rhTSH-stimulated serum Tg testing is the high patients for recurrent disease [57,63,70,117]. number of patients who have rhTSH-stimulated Since only a minority of patients with negative serum Tg in the 1–10mg/L range and no evi- clinical and/or ultrasound examinations have dence of disease [20,57,63,116,117]. In fact, the persistent or recurrent disease detected during adoption of the <1mg/L cutoff is associated follow-up, it is not surprising that only a small with ~15% false-positive responses [20,57,70]. percentage of patients have disease unmasked Conversely, ~3% of patients with disease have by rhTSH-stimulated Tg testing [57,63]. It false-negative rhTSH-stimulated Tg responses follows that the high cost and low yield of because the insensitivity of current Tg assays rhTSH-stimulated serum Tg testing will incr- compromises the clinical sensitivity of Tg easingly raise questions concerning the cost– testing even when rhTSH stimulation is benefit ratio of using rhTSH stimulation for employed [57,70]. In a recent meta-analysis of diagnostic testing as the sensitivity of Tg 784 patients, ~8% of patients with serum Tg methodology improves [18,19,118]. <1mg/L during THST had disease unmasked by rhTSH-stimulated Tg testing (Figure 18.5) [20]. TgAb-Positive Patients Most (~5%) of the disease was located in lymph nodes and likely could have been detected by Unfortunately, the value of rhTSH stimulation ultrasound, suggesting that few patients would testing is compromised by the presence of have disease revealed by rhTSH-stimulated Tg TgAb. Specifically, many TgAb-positive pati- testing alone [20,57,63,70]. In fact, it is becom- ents display blunted or absent TSH-stimulated ing apparent that rhTSH-stimulated Tg testing serum Tg responses,regardless of the class of Tg 222 Practical Management of Thyroid Cancer method used (IMA or RIA) [20]. Currently, the elevated preoperative Tg, suggesting that the most likely explanation for the paradoxical lack tumor is an efficient Tg secretor [38,44].In addi- of rhTSH response in the presence of TgAb is tion to a preoperative Tg, ultrasound evalua- that there is enhanced metabolic clearance of Tg tions are now being performed more frequently complexed with TgAb, as compared with free Tg as part of risk assessment to assess the extent [119,120]. The rapid removal of TgAb seen fol- of surgery indicated [133]. This is because lowing Tg release during thyroidectomy lends approximately two thirds of DTC patients support to the contention that newly-formed have lymph node metastases, 80% of which are Tg–TgAb complexes may be more rapidly in the central compartment and many of which cleared than free Tg [48,86,119,120]. are not detectable by physical examination [60,133,134]. Strategy for Managing Thus, patient demographics together with a preoperative Tg measurement, ultrasound, sur- Patients with DTC gical, and pathological findings are used to clas- sify patients as having a low or high risk As shown in Figure 18.3, risk stratification is for disease (~80% versus ~20%, respectively) the cornerstone of postoperative management [63,130]. Patients with a higher risk for recur- of DTC patients. Most recurrent or persistent rent disease have one or more of the following: tumor is detected during the first 5 years • higher prognostic score (TNM > stage II following thyroidectomy [62]. Patients are and/or MACIS ≥6); classified as low or high risk for recurrent •age >45 years; disease based on a combination of clinical • lymph node metastases; parameters assessed at the time of their initial diagnosis and surgery. Classic prognostic • large tumor with paradoxically non-ele- scoring systems, such as TNM and MACIS, vated serum Tg. combine patient-specific parameters such as Recent retrospective studies have raised con- age, size of the primary tumor, presence of troversy regarding whether RAI treatment lymph nodes and distant metastases to predict influences mortality [129,130]. Radioiodine is mortality risk [63,66,121–127]. Most patients usually reserved for patients at higher risk for with DTC are successfully treated with thy- recurrent or persistent disease, the dose being roidectomy followed by chronic thyroid determined on an individual basis relative to the hormone (L-T4) suppression therapy (THST) degree of risk [63,130]. Since the presence of [60,62]. The use of RAI treatment and the TgAb in the early postoperative period is asso- aggressiveness and frequency of follow-up eval- ciated with an increased risk for recurrent uations depends on whether the patient has a disease, RAI treatment may be efficacious for high or low risk for recurrent or persistent patients with persistent TgAb after the first disease [60,64,65,128–130]. Tumor pathology postoperative year [24,135]. In patients with a also influences prognosis, since the prognostic lower risk for disease there is a growing con- factors for papillary versus follicular thyroid sensus that RAI treatment should be deferred cancers and their variants are distinctively dif- [60,129]. Levothyroxine suppression therapy ferent [60,131,132]. Whereas an preoperative should be initiated immediately in such elevation in serum Tg is not an indicator of a patients, since serum TSH levels can rise above neoplasm, an excessively high (>1000mg/L) pre- 30mIU/L as early as 8 days following thyroidec- operative serum Tg value is suspicious for tomy [136]. The degree of TSH suppression metastatic disease, especially when metastases targeted for lower risk patients is generally less involve bone [40,85,113]. Further, once a diag- than that for higher risk patients (<0.1 versus nosis of DTC has been made, the relationship <0.01mIU/L, respectively) [126,137]. Many between the preoperative Tg level and tumor studies made in the TSH-stimulated state before burden can be used to gauge the significance of RAI therapy have reported that Tg measure- postoperative Tg measurements. This is because ments in the early postoperative period are the sensitivity of postoperative Tg testing for prognostic for disease [8,50,51,70,138]. In view disease will be greatest when patients are diag- of the relationship between basal and TSH- nosed with small tumors associated with an stimulated Tg shown in Figure 18.4, it follows Thyroglobulin 223 that any Tg detected above 1mg/L is suspicious for each stage of managing both low and high and warrants selective imaging or treatment as risk patients with DTC. The quality of the Tg appropriate [8,16,50–53]. and TgAb methods is variable, and will impact After the first postoperative year, follow- the clinical care of DTC patients. Because up evaluations for recurrent disease should current Tg or TgAb method is 100% reliable, be individualized to the risk for recurrence these biochemical tests should be used in [63,128]. By this time, few patients without conjunction with clinical examination and TgAb and with a serum Tg below 1mg/L during ultrasound, together with selected imaging THST have a recurrence [16,17,117]. A combi- modalities, as dictated by patient-related risk nation of ultrasound plus serum Tg and TgAb factors. The use of sensitive and specific Tg measured during THST (TSH <0.1mIU/L) is and TgAb methods for evaluating DTC patients recommended for follow-up surveillance for improves the overall cost-effectiveness of man- disease in low risk patients [57,70]. A positive agement by minimizing costly procedures. ultrasound and/or a serum Tg above 1mg/L However, even when the quality of these bio- and/or a rise in TgAb concentration suggests chemical tests is optimal, the results have to the presence of disease and warrants selected be interpreted relative to the patient-specific imaging or other treatment as appropriate. factors and the physiological factors that control Recombinant TSH stimulation is not needed Tg secretion. when serum Tg is detectable, because the rhTSH-stimulated Tg response is predictably ~10-fold higher than the basal Tg level (Figure 18.4) [72,117]. 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