Integrative metabolomic characterization identifies plasma metabolomic signature in the diagnosis of papillary thyroid cancer

Discrimination of malignancy from thyroid nodules poses challenges in clinical practice. We aimed to identify the plasma metabolomic biomarkers in discriminating papillary thyroid cancer (PTC) from benign thyroid nodule (BTN). Metabolomics profiling of plasma was performed in two independent cohorts of 651 subjects of PTC ( n = 215), BTN ( n = 230), and healthy controls ( n = 206). In addition, 132 patients with thyroid micronodules (<1 cm) and 44 patients with BTN suspected malignancy by ultrasound were used for biomarker validation. Recursive feature elimination algorithm was used for metabolic biomarkers selecting. Significant differential metabolites were demonstrated in patients with thyroid nodules (PTC and BTN) from healthy controls ( P = 0.0001). A metabolic biomarker panel (17 differential metabolites) was identified to discriminate PTC from BTN with an AUC of 97.03% (95% CI: 95.28–98.79%), 91.89% sensitivity, and 92.63% specificity in discovery cohort. The panel had an AUC of 92.72% (95% CI: 87.46–97.99%), 86.57% sensitivity, and 92.50% specificity in validation cohort. The metabolic biomarker signature could correctly identify 84.09% patients whose nodules were suspected malignant by ultrasonography but finally histological benign. Moreover, high accuracy of 87.88% for diagnosis of papillary thyroid microcarcinoma was displayed by this panel and showed significant improvement in accuracy, AUC and specificity when compared with ultrasound. We identified a novel metabolic biomarker signature to discriminate PTC from BTN. The clinical use of this biomarker panel would have improved diagnosis stratification of thyroid microcarcinoma in comparison to ultrasound.