Benefit of measuring basal serum calcitonin to detect medullary thyroid carcinoma in a Danish population with a high prevalence of thyroid nodules

The impact of preoperative calcitonin screening on the prognosis of patients with medullary thyroid cancer: a retrospective multicenter cohort study

PURPOSE

There is still controversy in different guidelines regarding the necessity of routine preoperative calcitonin (Ctn) testing in medullary thyroid cancer (MTC). The level of preoperative Ctn may influence the extent of surgery.

METHODS

This retrospective multicenter cohort study involved 149 MTC patients from 6 centers between 2013 to 2023. Clinical characteristics, surgical procedure and clinical outcomes were compared between Ctn-screened and Non-screened group. Kaplan-Meier method was used to estimate recurrence-free survival (RFS) and overall survival (OS).

RESULTS

In total, 127 MTC patients with preoperative Ctn screening and 22 MTC patients without screening were analyzed. MTC patients with preoperative Ctn screening underwent more radical surgical procedures including total thyroidectomy and lymph node dissection, compared to those without screening (84.3% vs. 68.2% and 91.3% vs. 72.7%, respectively). The rate of recurrence and death were lower in the Ctn-screened group (16.1% vs. 36.4%, 0.8% vs. 18.2%, respectively). The survival curve showed a significantly better overall survival in Ctn-screened group than Non-screened group (HR:17.932, 95% CI 1.888-170.294, p-value = 0.001), while no significant difference was observed of RFS between two groups (HR:1.6, 95% CI 0.645-3.966, p-value = 0.307).

CONCLUSION

Preoperative Ctn screening can prompt surgeons choosing more radical initial surgical treatment for MTC patients, potentially leading to better long-term outcomes. Further evaluation of the cost-effectiveness of routine Ctn screening in thyroid nodule patients is warranted.

Diagnostic accuracy of routine calcitonin measurement for the detection of medullary thyroid carcinoma in the management of patients with nodular thyroid disease: a meta-analysis

OBJECTIVE

The usefulness of routine calcitonin measurement for early detection of medullary thyroid carcinoma (MTC) in patients with nodular thyroid disease (NTD) has been investigated in various studies. Recently, a Cochrane review has been published on this issue, but a meta-analysis is lacking yet. Therefore, we performed this meta-analysis.

METHODS

We performed an electronic search using PubMed/Medline, Embase and the Cochrane Library. Studies assessing the diagnostic accuracy of routine calcitonin measurement for detecting MTC in patients with NDT were selected. Statistics were performed by using Stata software, risk of bias was assessed using Review Manager version 5.3.

RESULTS

Seventeen studies, involving 74,407 patients were included in the study. Meta-analysis, using the bivariate random effects model and the hierarchical summary receiver operating characteristic (HSROC) curve revealed the following pooled estimates: sensitivity 0.99 (95% CI, 0.81-1.00), specificity 0.99 (95% CI, 0.97-0.99), positive likelihood ratio (L+) 72.4 (95% CI, 32.3-162.1), and negative likelihood ratio (L-) 0.01 (95% CI, 0.00-0.23). Meta-regression analysis showed that the threshold of basal calcitonin is an independent factor, but in particular performing stimulation test is not an independent factor.

CONCLUSIONS

We showed that routine basal serum calcitonin measurement in the management of patients with thyroid nodules is valuable for the detection of MTC. However, the published cut-off values should be considered and, if applicable, the patients monitored in a wait-and-see strategy by experienced physicians to avoid overtreatment.

Calcitonin testing for detection of medullary thyroid cancer in people with thyroid nodules

BACKGROUND

Thyroid nodules are very common in general medical practice, but rarely turn out to be a medullary thyroid carcinoma (MTC). Calcitonin is a sensitive tumour marker for the detection of MTC (basal calcitonin). Sometimes a stimulation test is used to improve specificity (stimulated calcitonin). Although the European Thyroid Association's guideline advocates calcitonin determination in people with thyroid nodules, the role of routine calcitonin testing in individuals with thyroid nodules is still questionable.

OBJECTIVES

The objective of this review was to determine the diagnostic accuracy of basal and/or stimulated calcitonin as a triage or add-on test for detection of MTC in people with thyroid nodules.

SEARCH METHODS

We searched CENTRAL, MEDLINE, Embase and Web of Science from inception to June 2018.

SELECTION CRITERIA

We included all retrospective and prospective cohort studies in which all participants with thyroid nodules had undergone determination of basal calcitonin levels (and stimulated calcitonin, if performed).

DATA COLLECTION AND ANALYSIS

Two review authors independently scanned all retrieved records. We extracted data using a standard data extraction form. We assessed risk of bias and applicability using the QUADAS-2 tool. Using the hierarchical summary receiver operating characteristic (HSROC) model, we estimated summary curves across different thresholds and also obtained summary estimates of sensitivity and specificity at a common threshold when possible.

MAIN RESULTS

In 16 studies, we identified 72,368 participants with nodular thyroid disease in whom routinely calcitonin testing was performed. All included studies performed the calcitonin test as a triage test. Median prevalence of MTC was 0.32%. Sensitivity in these studies ranged between 83% and 100% and specificity ranged between 94% and 100%. An important limitation in 15 of the 16 studies (94%) was the absence of adequate reference standards and follow-up in calcitonin-negative participants. This resulted in a high risk of bias with regard to flow and timing in the methodological quality assessment. At the median specificity of 96.6% from the included studies, the estimated sensitivity (95% confidence interval (CI)) from the summary curve was 99.7% ( 68.8% to 100%). For the median prevalence of MTC of 0.23%, the positive predictive value (PPV) for basal calcitonin testing at a threshold of 10 pg/mL was 7.7% (4.9% to 12.1%). Summary estimates of sensitivity and specificity for the threshold of 10 pg/mL of basal calcitonin testing was 100% (95% CI 99.7 to 100) and 97.2% (95% CI 95.9 to 98.6), respectively. For combined basal and stimulated calcitonin testing, sensitivity ranged between 82% and 100% with specificity between 99% and 100%. The median specificity was 99.8% with an estimated sensitivity of 98.8% (95% CI 65.8 to 100) .

AUTHORS' CONCLUSIONS

Both basal and combined basal and stimulated calcitonin testing have a high sensitivity and specificity. However, this may be an overestimation due to high risk of bias in the use and choice of reference standard The value of routine testing in patients with thyroid nodules remains questionable, due to the low prevalence, which results in a low PPV of basal calcitonin testing. Whether routine calcitonin testing improves prognosis in MTC patients remains unclear.

LEADER 2: baseline calcitonin in 9340 people with type 2 diabetes enrolled in the Liraglutide Effect and Action in Diabetes: Evaluation of cardiovascular outcome Results (LEADER) trial: preliminary observations

AIMS

To report preliminary data on baseline serum calcitonin concentrations and associated clinical characteristics in a global population with type 2 diabetes before liraglutide or placebo randomization.

METHODS

The ongoing LEADER trial has enrolled 9340 people with type 2 diabetes and at high risk of cardiovascular disease at 410 centres worldwide. People with baseline serum calcitonin ≤ 50 ng/l were randomized to liraglutide once daily or placebo and will be followed for up to 5 years. Serum calcitonin was measured at baseline and will be measured annually thereafter. An independent committee of thyroid experts will oversee calcitonin monitoring throughout the trial and will review all calcitonin concentrations ≥ 20 ng/l.

RESULTS

The mean age of participants was 64.3 ± 7.2 years, 64.3% were men, and mean the body mass index was 32.5 ± 6.3 kg/m(2). The median (interquartile range) baseline serum calcitonin values were 3.9 (1.0 to >7.6) ng/l in men and 1.0 (1.0 to >1) ng/l in women. Serum calcitonin was >10 ng/l in 14.6% of men and in 0.96% of women. In sex-specific multivariable linear analysis of covariance models, a reduced glomerular filtration rate (GFR) was associated with higher serum calcitonin concentrations that were statistically significant. A 20 ml/min/1.73 m(2) decrease in estimated GFR (eGFR) was associated with a 14% increase in serum calcitonin in women and an 11% increase in men.

CONCLUSIONS

In the LEADER population, the prevalence of elevated serum calcitonin concentrations at baseline was high, and there was an inverse association between eGFR and serum calcitonin concentrations.

Twenty years of experience with the preoperative diagnosis of medullary cancer in a moderately iodine-deficient region

Background. There is a current debate in the medical literature about plasma calcitonin screening in patients with nodular goiter (NG). We decided on analyzing our 20-year experience with patients in an iodine-deficient region (ID). Patients and Methods. 22,857 consecutive patients with NG underwent ultrasonography and aspiration cytology (FNAC). If FNAC raised suspicion of medullary cancer (MTC), the serum calcitonin was measured. Results. 4,601 patients underwent surgery; there were 23 patients among them who had MTC (0.1% prevalence). Significantly more MTC cases were diagnosed cytologically in the second decade than in the first: 11/12 and 6/11, respectively. The frozen section was of help in 2 cases out of 3. Two patients suffered from a 3-year delay in proper therapy, and reoperation was necessary in 1 case. FNAC raised the suspicion of MTC in 20 cases that were later histologically verified and did not present MTC. The diagnostic accuracy of FNAC in diagnosing MTC was 99.2%. Two false-positive serum calcitonin tests (one of them in a hemodialyzed patient) and one false-negative serum calcitonin test occurred in 40 cases. Conclusion. Regarding the low prevalence of MTC in ID regions, calcitonin screening of all NG patients does not only appear superfluously but may have more disadvantages than advantages.

[Calcitonin determination for early diagnosis of medullary thyroid cancer]

Calcitonin is considered to be a sensitive marker for medullary thyroid cancer (MTC) therefore early detection and surgical treatment may help to improve the clinical prognosis of MTC. Routine calcitonin measurement has therefore been recommended in the diagnostic evaluation of patients with nodular thyroid disease. In the case of elevated serum calcitonin (>20 pg/ml) stimulation testing is recommended to improve the predictive power for MTC particularly in patients with small nodules. Serum calcitonin measurement cannot reliably discriminate between micro-MTC (<10 mm) and C cell hyperplasia. In patients with stimulated calcitonin levels exceeding 100 pg/ml thyroidectomy is recommended because of a high inherent risk of MTC. Highly elevated basal and stimulated serum calcitonin levels are strongly suggestive of MTC with practical implications for surgical management.