Diagnostic and Prognostic Value of TSH Levels in Differentiated Thyroid Cancers

ABSTRACT

Purpose: The frequency of thyroid surgery for suspected malignancy but with a benign result in pathological examination is increasing in recent years. For this reason, additional preoperative markers are needed for increasing the sensitivity for evaluating the preoperative malignancy risk of thyroid nodules. In this study, we aimed to evaluate the diagnostic value of serum TSH levels for determining the differentiated thyroid cancers (DTC) and to identify a proper cut-off value if relevant association is present.
Material and Method: Our study included 380 patients who underwent thyroidectomy due to nodular goiter in our hospital between 01.01.2012 and 01.06.2013 retrospectively. 201 patients who were diagnosed with DTC constituted the study group, and 179 consecutive patients with a benign pathology result were included as controls. Patients who had overt hyperthyroidism or hypothyroidism and was taken medicines that affect TSH level were excluded.
Results: There were no significant differences between the two groups in terms of age, sex, and family history of thyroid disease. Preoperative TSH levels were 1.66 mIU/lt and 1.59 mIU/lt in patients with DTC and controls, respectively (p=0.641). There was no correlation between TSH and tumor size, and no relationship between TSH and capsular invasion, vascular invasion, extrathyroidal invasion and lymph node metastasis.
Discussion: In our study, no relationship was found between preoperative TSH level and DTC. In addition, there was no relationship between TSH and bad prognostic parameters.