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Thyroglobulin Antibodies and Their Measurement

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Abstract

Thyroglobulin antibodies are commonly found in persons who have thyroid cancer. The major significance of these antibodies clinically is in their interference in the measurement of thyroglobulin using the widely employed sandwich (immunometric) assays, causing falsely low (often undetectable) results. Although a standard has been developed in an attempt to provide similar results when using different assays, actual numerical results are quite different using kits from different manufacturers. Assays for thyroglobulin antibodies also differ significantly in their ability to detect the presence of antibodies that cause such falsely low results. Despite these limitations, measurement of thyroglobulin antibodies has several potential benefits in monitoring patients with differentiated thyroid cancer. Patients with detectable antibodies when first tested after surgery have a significantly higher likelihood of having residual or metastatic thyroid tissue. A decline in antibody titers over time is a good prognostic marker in those who were originally antibody positive, while stable or rising levels indicate high likelihood of residual thyroid cancer. It is recommended that, in the majority of patients in whom thyroglobulin levels will be used to monitor patients with thyroid cancer, thyroglobulin antibodies should be routinely tested at the same time as initial measurement of thyroglobulin and subsequently at all measurements if initially positive.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Clinical Pathology, Veterans Affairs Medical Center, 50 Irving Street NW, Washington, DC, 20422, USA

    D. Robert Dufour MD

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  1. D. Robert Dufour MD
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Correspondence to D. Robert Dufour MD .

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Editors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Medicine, MedStar Washington Hospital Center Georgetown University School of Medicine, Washington, DC, USA

    Leonard Wartofsky

  2. Nuclear Medicine Research MedStar Research Institute and Washington Hospital Center, Georgetown University School of Medicine Washington Hospital Center, Washington, DC, USA

    Douglas Van Nostrand

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Dufour, D.R. (2016). Thyroglobulin Antibodies and Their Measurement. In: Wartofsky, L., Van Nostrand, D. (eds) Thyroid Cancer. Springer, New York, NY. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4939-3314-3_38

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4939-3314-3_38

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  • Publisher Name: Springer, New York, NY

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