ABSTRACT
BACKGROUND: There is no consensus about the best follow-up protocol in differentiated thyroid carcinoma (DTC). The aim of this study is to evaluate the usefulness and prognostic value of serum thyroglobulin (Tg) and the iodide-131 whole body scan (WBS) in DTC recurrences as a whole and according to the type of recurrence (local recurrence or distant metastases). PATIENTS AND METHODS: Thirty-four patients with recurrent DTC recruited in our institution over 15 years, with a minimum 5 years of follow-up and without either distant metastases at time of diagnosis nor detectable anti-Tg antibodies were included in the study. All patients were submitted to total or near-total thyroidectomy and 131INa ablation of postsurgical thyroid remnants. The follow-up included Tg measurement and WBS performed in hypothyroid state. RESULTS: Serum Tg was increased in the 67.4% of the patients and the WBS was positive in the 82.3%. In the isolated local recurrences the sensitivity of WBS was higher than Tg measurement (93.7 vs 43.7%; p < 0.05), but patients with positive Tg had a worse prognostic. By contrast, in patients with distant metastases the sensitivity of Tg was higher than WBS (83.3 vs 58.3%; p = NS). In 14 patients (41.2%) the results of WBS and Tg were in disagreement. In these cases a worse prognosis was observed when Tg was positive and WBS negative. CONCLUSIONS: The sensitivity of Tg and WBS is different depending on the type of recurrence. Therefore, both tests complement each other and it is not recommended to omit one of them in the follow-up of DTC.