Evaluation of thyroglobulin mRNA in peripheral blood of patients with differentiated thyroid carcinoma after remnant ablation / 中华核医学杂志

ABSTRACT

Objective The aim of this study was to evaluate the diagnostic value of thyroglobulin(Tg)mRNA in peripheral blood samples of patients with differentiated thyroid carcinoma(DTC)after remnant ablation.Methods Tg mRNA Was detected by reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction(RT-PCR)in peripheral blood of 162 patients.SPSS 13.0 was used for date analysis.Results The Tg mRNA assay had higher sensitivity than the conventional serum Tg measurement[86.61%(97/112)vs 53.57%(60/112),X2=29.153,P＜0.001]which Was the"gold standard"for the identification of recurrence or metastases.In the anti-Tg antibodies(TgAb)positive DTC patients,the sensitivity of Tg mRNA was higher than that of serum Tg[86.54%(45/52)vs 0]in identifying recurrent or metastatic thyroid disease(X2=79.322,P＜0.001).There was a significantly positive correlation between Tg mRNA expression and the clinical stages(Kendall correlation coefficient=0.515,P＜0.001).There was no difference of Tg mRNA expression in peripheral blood among ages,sex,pathological types and location of metastases,respectively(Kendall correlation coefficient=0.020,0.069,0.050 and 0.028;all P＞0.05).Conclusions Circulating Tg mRNA is a more sensitive marker than serum Tg in identifying recurrent or metastatic DTC,particulady in patients during levo-thyroxine(l-T4)therapy and with TgAb-positive.The DTC patients who have positive expression of Tg mRNA indicates poor prognosis.