This Article Full Text (PDF) Submit a related Letter to the Editor Alert me when this article is cited Alert me when eLetters are posted Alert me if a correction is posted Citation Map Services Email this article to a friend Similar articles in this journal Similar articles in PubMed Alert me to new issues of the journal Download to citation manager Request Copyright Permission Citing Articles Citing Articles via HighWire Citing Articles via Google Scholar Google Scholar Articles by SCHLUMBERGER, M. Articles by TUBIANA, M. Search for Related Content PubMed PubMed Citation Articles by SCHLUMBERGER, M. Articles by TUBIANA, M.

Circulating Thyroglobulin and Thyroid Hormones in Patients with Metastases of Differentiated Thyroid Carcinoma: Relationship to Serum Thyrotropin Levels

Laboratoire de Physiopathologie Thyroidienne (INSERM, CNRS) et Unité de Médecine Nucléaire, Institut Gustave-Roussy F 94800 Villejuif, France

Twenty-six patients with metastases of differentiated thyroid carcinoma werestudied after total thyroid ablation. After T₃ withdrawal, serum TSH, T₄) and T₃ were measured in all patients, thyroglobulin (Tg) was determinedin 11 patients, and rT₃ was measured in 16 patients. Group 1 included 19 patients with radioiodine uptake in their metastases. The time course of change in serum TSHdiffered from patient to patient, ranging on the 10th day from 14–245 µU/ml and reaching a maximal value of 22–360 µU/ml. Tg levels increased in the 8 patients of this group who were studied and reached a plateau ranging from2.3–20 times its initial value. This increase was significantly correlated withtheserum TSH plateau level (r = 0.88; P < 0.01). T₃ became detectable in only 3 cases, and T₄ was detectable in only one of these 3 cases; rT₃ reached the limit of detectability only in this case.

Group 2 included seven patients without radioiodine uptake in the metastases. The timecourse of change in serum TSH levels and maximal TSH values were not different from thoseof the former group. Serum T₃ and T₄ remained undetectable, and theserum Tg level increased 1.7–2.8 times above its initial value in the three patients of this group who were studied. In one additional case in this group, TSH and Tg levels fell simultaneously under replacement therapy.

Prolonged TSH stimulation increased Tg production in all patients studied even when there was no radioiodine uptake in the metastases. A T₃, T₄ or Tg feedback effect on the pituitary cannot explain the variability in TSH response after T₃ withdrawal. Age appeared to be the only factor significantly correlated with the TSH plateau level (r = –0.75; P < 0.01). {J Clin Endocrinol Metab 51: 513, 1980

^* To whom requests for reprints should be addressed.

Received November 26, 1979.

This article has been cited by other articles:

				F. Pacini, M. Schlumberger, H. Dralle, R. Elisei, J. W A Smit, W. Wiersinga, and the European Thyroid Cancer Taskforce European consensus for the management of patients with differentiated thyroid carcinoma of the follicular epithelium. Eur. J. Endocrinol., June 1, 2006; 154(6): 787 - 803. [Full Text] [PDF]

				R. J. Robbins and M. J. Schlumberger The Evolving Role of 131I for the Treatment of Differentiated Thyroid Carcinoma J. Nucl. Med., January 1, 2005; 46(1_suppl): 28S - 37S. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				F. Santini, V. Bottici, R. Elisei, L. Montanelli, S. Mazzeo, F. Basolo, A. Pinchera, and F. Pacini Cytotoxic Effects of Carboplatinum and Epirubicin in the Setting of an Elevated Serum Thyrotropin for Advanced Poorly Differentiated Thyroid Cancer J. Clin. Endocrinol. Metab., September 1, 2002; 87(9): 4160 - 4165. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				F. Pacini, E. Molinaro, F. Lippi, M. G. Castagna, L. Agate, C. Ceccarelli, D. Taddei, R. Elisei, M. Capezzone, and A. Pinchera Prediction of Disease Status by Recombinant Human TSH-Stimulated Serum Tg in the Postsurgical Follow-Up of Differentiated Thyroid Carcinoma J. Clin. Endocrinol. Metab., December 1, 2001; 86(12): 5686 - 5690. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				J.-M. Bidart, C. Mian, V. Lazar, D. Russo, S. Filetti, B. Caillou, and M. Schlumberger Expression of Pendrin and the Pendred Syndrome (PDS) Gene in Human Thyroid Tissues J. Clin. Endocrinol. Metab., May 1, 2000; 85(5): 2028 - 2033. [Abstract] [Full Text]

				V. Lazar, J.-M. Bidart, B. Caillou, C. Mahé, L. Lacroix, S. Filetti, and M. Schlumberger Expression of the Na+/I- Symporter Gene in Human Thyroid Tumors: A Comparison Study with Other Thyroid-Specific Genes J. Clin. Endocrinol. Metab., September 1, 1999; 84(9): 3228 - 3234. [Abstract] [Full Text]

				M. J. Schlumberger Papillary and Follicular Thyroid Carcinoma N. Engl. J. Med., January 29, 1998; 338(5): 297 - 306. [Full Text] [PDF]

				G. Madeddu, A. R. Casu, C. Costanza, G. Marras, M. L. Arras, A. Marrosu, and M. Langer Serum Thyroglobulin Levels in the Diagnosis and Follow-up of Subacute 'Painful' Thyroiditis: A Sequential Study Arch Intern Med, February 1, 1985; 145(2): 243 - 247. [Abstract] [PDF]

				S. Refetoff and E. G. Lever The Value of Serum Thyroglobulin Measurement in Clinical Practice JAMA, November 4, 1983; 250(17): 2352 - 2357. [Abstract] [PDF]

				C. P. Barsano, C. Skosey, L. J. DeGroot, and S. Refetoff Serum Thyroglobulin in the Management of Patients With Thyroid Cancer Arch Intern Med, April 1, 1982; 142(4): 763 - 767. [Abstract] [PDF]