Thyroglobulin antibody status and differentiated thyroid cancer: what does it mean for prognosis and surveillance?

Abstract

To provide an overview of the clinical utility of thyroglobulin antibody (TgAb) measurements in the management of differentiated thyroid cancer (DTC), taking into consideration the methodological concerns associated with these measurements. In the past 1 to 2 years, clinical studies have added to our understanding of the limitations and pitfalls associated with TgAb assay methods, the association of autoimmune thyroid disease with DTC, the prognostic significance of TgAb positivity and the clinical utility of the trend of TgAb measurements as a surrogate tumor marker. TgAb trends appear to have clinical utility as a surrogate tumor marker in the surveillance of TgAb-positive DTC patients. The prognostic significance of TgAb status (positive/negative) as well as the nature and clinical significance of the association of autoimmune thyroid disease with DTC is less clear.