Purpose: To investigate the feasibilities and clinical values of thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH) and thyroid autoantibodies in predicting differentiated thyroid cancer (DTC).

Methods: 500 patients with thyroid nodules who underwent surgery for the first time in our hospital from January 2014 to December 2016 were selected, including 250 patients definitely diagnosed pathologically with DTC and 250 patients definitely diagnosed with benign thyroid nodules after operation. Serum thyroglobulin antibody (TgAb), thyroid peroxidase antibody (TPOAb) and TSH levels before operation were evaluated in both groups. According to the reference ranges of TgAb and TPOAb, they were divided into negative and positive groups. According to the TSH reference range, they were divided into decreased, normal and increased groups. Statistical analyses were conducted, respectively.

Results: The serum TgAb level in the DTC group was significantly increased compared with that in benign thyroid nodule group (p= 0.01). The positive rate of TgAb in DTC group was also significantly higher than that in benign thyroid nodule group (p< 0.01). The level of serum TPOAb in the DTC group was not significantly different from that in the benign thyroid nodule group (p= 0.25). The level of serum TSH in the DTC group was significantly increased compared with that in the benign thyroid nodule group (p< 0.01). There was a statistically significant difference in the comparison of the distribution of TSH between the DTC group and benign thyroid nodule group (p< 0.01). Univariate analysis showed that TgAb and TSH were correlated with DTC. Multivariate logistic regression analysis results showed that serum positive TgAb and increased TSH were significantly correlated with DTC. TSH level in DTC with cervical lymph node metastasis group was significantly increased compared with DTC without such metastasis group (p< 0.01).

Conclusions: Increased levels of serum TgAb and TSH may be risk factors for DTC. Whether the two indicators can be used as predictors of DTC screening needs to be confirmed in large-sample prospective trials. Increased serum TSH level is closely related to DTC with cervical lymph node metastasis.