Klin Onkol 2003; 16(3): 149-153.
Summary:
Backgrounds: Previous research has shown a high prevalence of autoimmune thyroid diseases in women with breast cancer and has suggested better survival rate in women with breast cancer and contemporary thyropathy.
Design and subjects: The aim of the study was to compare the prevalence of autoimmune thyropathies in two age-comparable groups of women (66 with breast cancer and 68 with colorectal cancer) and to find out a possible relationship to stage of disease, therapy and tumor
markers. Methods and results: Serum levels of thyroid stimulating hormone (TSH), free thyroxin (fT4), antibodies to thyroglobulin (TGB-ab) and thyroperoxidase (TPO-ab) and tumor markers CEA, CA 15-3 and CA 19-9 were investigated in all subjects with use of chemiluminiscence method. Serum levels of TSH, fT4 and TPO-ab were comparable in both groups. Serum levels of TGB-ab were higher in group with breast cancer compare to colorectal cancer (medians: 35,80 vs. 31,75, p<0,0008), likewise the percentage of positive TGB-ab and TPO-ab serum levels was higher in women with breast cancer (TGB-ab: 15,15% vs. 10,29%, TPO-ab: 15,15% vs. 11,76%). Serum levels of TSH above 3,5 mIU.l.10-1 were found in 19,70% women with breast cancer compare to 14,70% with colorectal cancer. Women with breast cancer and TSH above 3,5 mIU.l.10-1 had lower serum levels of CEA compare to women with TSH below 3,5 (medians CEA: 0,75 vs. 1,7 ng.l.10-1, p=0,046).
Conclusions: The increased percentage of women with TGB-ab and TPO-ab positivity and with TSH above 3,5 mIU.l.10-1 suggests high frequency of autoimmune thyroid diseases in women with breast cancer.
