Retrospective Study
Copyright ©The Author(s) 2023. Published by Baishideng Publishing Group Inc. All rights reserved.
World J Clin Cases. Sep 26, 2023; 11(27): 6407-6414
Published online Sep 26, 2023. doi: 10.12998/wjcc.v11.i27.6407
Correlation analysis of serum thyroglobulin, thyroid-stimulating hormone levels, and thyroid-cancer risk in thyroid nodule surgery
Jin-Hao Shuai, Zhao-Fang Leng, Peng Wang, Yi-Chi Ji
Jin-Hao Shuai, Zhao-Fang Leng, Peng Wang, Yi-Chi Ji, Department of Thyroid and Breast Surgery, Meishan City People's Hospital, Meishan 620000, Sichuan Province, China
Author contributions: Shuai JH contributed to conception, design, administrative support, manuscript writing, data analysis, and interpretation; Shuai JH and Leng ZF contributed to provision of study materials; All authors contributed to collection and assembly of data; All authors contributed to final approval of manuscript.
Institutional review board statement: The authors are accountable for all aspects of the work in ensuring that questions related to the accuracy or integrity of any part of the work are appropriately investigated and resolved. The study was approved by Institutional Review Board of Meishan City People's Hospital.
Informed consent statement: All study participants, or their legal guardian, provided written consent prior to study enrollment.
Conflict-of-interest statement: The authors declare that the research was conducted in the absence of any commercial or financial relationships that could be construed as a potential conflict of interest.
Data sharing statement: The datasets generated during and/or analyzed during the current study are available from the corresponding author on reasonable request.
Open-Access: This article is an open-access article that was selected by an in-house editor and fully peer-reviewed by external reviewers. It is distributed in accordance with the Creative Commons Attribution NonCommercial (CC BY-NC 4.0) license, which permits others to distribute, remix, adapt, build upon this work non-commercially, and license their derivative works on different terms, provided the original work is properly cited and the use is non-commercial. See: https://creativecommons.org/Licenses/by-nc/4.0/
Corresponding author: Jin-Hao Shuai, MM, PhD, Doctor, Professor, Department of Thyroid and Breast Surgery, Meishan City People's Hospital, No. 288 South Section 4, Dongpo Avenue, Dongpo District, Meishan 620000, Sichuan Province, China. jinhaoshuai236@163.com
Received: August 1, 2023
Peer-review started: August 1, 2023
First decision: August 16, 2023
Revised: August 22, 2023
Accepted: August 29, 2023
Article in press: August 29, 2023
Published online: September 26, 2023
Processing time: 50 Days and 15.7 Hours
ARTICLE HIGHLIGHTS
Research background

This study aimed to explore the relationship between serum thyroglobulin (Tg) and thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH) levels and the risk of thyroid cancer in individuals undergoing thyroid nodule surgery. The primary objective was to ascertain whether these biomarkers could serve as predictive tools for thyroid cancer.

Research motivation

A retrospective analysis was conducted on clinical data and laboratory results from 130 patients who had undergone thyroid nodule surgery. Preoperative serum Tg and TSH levels were recorded. Histopathological examination determined thyroid cancer status during follow-up. Statistical methods were employed to evaluate the potential correlations.

Research objectives

Among the 130 patients studied, 60 were diagnosed with thyroid cancer. Statistical analysis revealed a significant positive correlation between serum Tg levels and thyroid cancer risk (P < 0.05), indicating higher Tg levels were linked to increased risk. However, no significant correlation was found between serum TSH levels and thyroid cancer risk (P > 0.05).

Research methods

In the context of patients undergoing thyroid nodule surgery, serum Tg levels were observed to have a notable correlation with the risk of thyroid cancer, while serum TSH levels did not exhibit such a correlation. These findings underscore the potential of serum Tg levels as a valuable biomarker for assessing thyroid cancer risk in patients with thyroid nodules.

Research results

The study's findings provide valuable insights into the clinical utility of serum Tg levels as a predictive tool for thyroid cancer risk. Further research is warranted to validate these findings across larger and more diverse patient populations. Additionally, exploring other potential biomarkers and refining predictive models could enhance the accuracy of thyroid cancer risk assessment.

Research conclusions

Given the prevalence of thyroid nodules and the challenge of distinguishing between benign and malignant cases, understanding the correlation between Tg and TSH levels and thyroid cancer risk is essential. Identifying reliable biomarkers could enhance early detection and improve patient outcomes.

Research perspectives

Thyroid nodules are a common clinical concern, with some harboring the potential for malignancy. Detecting thyroid cancer accurately is crucial. Serum Tg and TSH levels have been suggested as potential indicators of thyroid cancer risk, prompting the need for a comprehensive investigation.