Mean Platelet Volume and Red Cell Distribution Width in Differentiated Thyroid Cancer Patients

The purpose of this study was to investigate MPV and RDW values in DTC patients.

Differentiated Thyroid Cancer (DTC) is subdivided into papillary, follicular and papillary micro thyroid cancers. Mean Platelet Volume (MPV) and red cell distribution width (RDW) are markers which have been investigated in many cancers, but no data are available for DTC.

MPV and RDW values were assessed in 108 patients with DTC, consisting of 44 with Papillary Thyroid Cancer (PTC) (mean age 43±13.9 years), 34 with Papillary Micro Thyroid Cancer (PmTC) (mean age 43.1 ± 10.6), and 28 with Follicular Cancer (FC) (mean age 46.9±12.5), and 77 control subjects (mean age 47.5±5.9).

The patient and control groups were matched in terms of age, and body mass index. All subjects were investigated using platelet and biochemical parameters.

Both MPV [(PTC, PmTC, and FC) (p=0.000, p=0.000 and p=0.001, respectively)] and RDW (PTC, PmTC, and FC) (p=0.02, p=0.04 and p=0.02, respectively)] values increased in patients with DTC compared to the controls. MPV values were significantly positively correlated with CRP (r=0.247; p=0.043), postoperative thyroglobulin (r=0.246; p=0.03), gamma glutamyl transferase (r=0.024; p=0.762), tumor size (r=0.209; p=0.047) and RDW (r=0.207; p=0.005). Age, gender, total cholesterol, and C-reactive protein were identified as independent predictors of MPV. Adjustment for other these factors produced no alteration in these relative risks at multiple regression analysis.

Our results suggest that patients with DTC have higher MPV and RDW values than healthy controls. MPV may represent a good follow-up criterion in DTC patients because of its positive correlation with tumor size and thyroglobulin.