papillary thyroid cancer recurrence

[homehealth67]

Had total thyroidectomy june 07,rai therapy july 07.  At my 6 month follow up my throglobulin level is 3.4 and thyroglobulin antibodies 1.My tsh was "high". Is this considered a recurrence of the cancer?

[homehealth67]

Thanks for the reply.  The thyroglobulin level was drawn 6months after the RAI.  My TSH level was 25.237. I also found out they drew TG antibodies (>1.0). I have a Dr's appt today to discuss the results.I am not looking forward to another RAI.

[utahmomma]

Did you have a Tg (thyroglobulin) run after the RAI?  If so, do you know the numbers?    A Tg of 3.4 is *way* too high for a cancer patient - it should be below .2   How high was the TSH and has it stayed stable up to recently?

Here's a quote from LabsTestOnline:
    Elevated levels of thyroglobulin do not in themselves imply a poor prognosis. In monitoring for cancer recurrence, change over time is more important than one particular thyroglobulin test result.
    It is important to have serial thyroglobulin tests performed at the same laboratory because test methods may produce different results in different laboratories.
    Fifteen to twenty percent of thyroid cancer patients have thyroglobulin antibodies (also called thyroglobulin autoantibodies). These antibodies can lead to falsely low or high thyroglobulin results depending on the method used.

Having a TSH and Tg that are that high following a TT and RAI would be considered suspicious for a recurrence - a WBS is probably indicated.

My sister went through three courses of RAI all within about 2 years for ongoing recurrences.  Yeah, it's possible.

I had a recurrence in '06 and now my TSH (1.67) and Tg (.4) are beginning to climb again so we're watching me closely for another recurrence too.

Have you talked to your endo???

Utahmomma
papillary carcinoma '03
recurrence and RAI '06 and possibly '08
three sisters with papillary carcinoma (one Stage II)