Reference values of serum calcitonin with calcium stimulation tests by electrochemiluminescence immunoassay before/after total thyroidectomy in Japanese patients with thyroid diseases other than medullary thyroid carcinoma

We studied the half-life of serum calcitonin (CT) in patients subjected to total thyroidectomy for medullary thyroid carcinoma (MTC). One patient showed a rapid serum CT component with a half-life of 3 hours and a slow component with a half-life of 30 hours; in another case only the 30-hour component was found. By chromatography of tumor extracts, we found that all the immunoreactive CT had a molecular weight of 3,600. After surgery, normalization of serum CT was achieved within 15 days in 4 patients, at 3 months and at 6 months in 2 other patients, while 1 patient never normalized. Normalization of serum CT after surgery is not an index of definitive cure in MTC, as demonstrated by one patient who relapsed 3 months after normalization of serum CT. However, as a general rule, patients who reach undetectable serum CT levels soon after surgery, are those having the best prognosis.

Download Full-text

Is thyrotropin-releasing hormone as reliable a calcitonin stimulant as pentagastrin in medullary thyroid carcinoma?

Acta Endocrinologica ◽

10.1530/acta.0.1220640 ◽

1990 ◽

Vol 122 (5) ◽

pp. 640-642 ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

S. Ahuja

Keyword(s):

Thyroid Carcinoma ◽

Medullary Thyroid Carcinoma ◽

Early Recognition ◽

Serum Calcitonin ◽

Medullary Thyroid ◽

Trh Stimulation ◽

Stimulation Tests ◽

Medullary Thyroid Carcinomas ◽

Calcitonin Secretion

Abstract. Calcitonin determination is of central importance in the diagnosis and follow-up of medullary thyroid carcinoma. Stimulation tests must be applied, particulary for early recognition of familial medullary thyroid carcinomas and for early diagnosis of relapses/metastases, since the basal calcitonin levels are still within the normal range initially. The pentagastrin stimulation test has proven to be the most effective one, though it is associated with considerable adverse effects. TRH is also able to stimulate calcitonin secretion in medullary thyroid carcinoma. The present study examines the value of TRH stimulation compared with pentagastrin stimulation in patients with occult or manifest metastases of medullary thyroid carcinoma. Both patients with occult metastases displayed a marked calcitonin increase after pentagastrin stimulation, but not after TRH stimulation. While calcitonin increased after pentagastrin in the two patients with manifest metastases, TRH produced a clear rise in only one of them and even caused the serum calcitonin concentration to drop continuously in the other one. Thus, TRH cannot be regarded as a reliable calcitonin stimulant in medullary thyroid carcinoma.

Download Full-text

Serum calcitonin levels with calcium loading tests before and after total thyroidectomy in patients with thyroid diseases other than medullary thyroid carcinoma

Endocrine Journal ◽

10.1507/endocrj.k10e-359 ◽

2011 ◽

Vol 58 (3) ◽

pp. 217-221 ◽

Cited By ~ 16

Author(s):

Takumi Kudo ◽

Akira Miyauchi ◽

Yasuhiro Ito ◽

Tomonori Yabuta ◽

Hiroyuki Inoue ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Thyroid Carcinoma ◽

Total Thyroidectomy ◽

Medullary Thyroid Carcinoma ◽

Thyroid Diseases ◽

Serum Calcitonin ◽

Medullary Thyroid ◽

Calcium Loading ◽

Before And After ◽

Loading Tests

Download Full-text

Usefulness of preoperative serum calcitonin in patients with nodular thyroid disease without suspicious history or cytology for medullary thyroid carcinoma

Arquivos Brasileiros de Endocrinologia & Metabologia ◽

10.1590/s0004-27302013000400006 ◽

2013 ◽

Vol 57 (4) ◽

pp. 312-316 ◽

Cited By ~ 3

Author(s):

Pedro Weslley Rosário ◽

Gustavo Cancela Penna ◽

Kamilla Brandão ◽

Bárbara Érika Souza

Keyword(s):

Thyroid Carcinoma ◽

Medullary Thyroid Carcinoma ◽

Multiple Endocrine Neoplasia ◽

Multiple Endocrine Neoplasia Type ◽

Serum Calcitonin ◽

Medullary Thyroid ◽

Endocrine Neoplasia ◽

Preoperative Serum ◽

History Of

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the usefulness of preoperative serum calcitonin (sCT) in patients with nodular disease without suspicion of medullary thyroid carcinoma (MTC) in history or cytology. PATIENTS AND METHODS: sCT was measured before thyroidectomy in 494 patients with nodular disease who had no family history of MTC or multiple endocrine neoplasia type 2, and no cytological suspicion of MTC. RESULTS: Basal sCT was < 10 ng/mL in 482 patients and none of them had MTC. One patient with basal sCT > 100 pg/mL had MTC. Among the 11 patients with basal sCT between 10 and 100 pg/mL, MTC was diagnosed in only one. The two patients with MTC were submitted to total thyroidectomy, combined with elective lymph node dissection indicated exclusively based on hypercalcitoninemia, and sCT was undetectable after six months. CONCLUSIONS: Preoperative sCT is useful for the detection of sporadic MTC in patients with nodular disease, even in the absence of suspicious history or cytology.

Download Full-text