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Thyroid cancer

Thyroid cancer is cancer of the thyroid gland. There are four forms: papillary, follicular, medullary and anaplastic. The most common forms (papillary and follicular) are fairly benign, and the medullary form also has a good prognosis; the anaplastic form is fast-growing and poorly responsive to therapy. more...

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Medicines

Masses of the thyroid are diagnosed by fine needle aspiration (FNA) or frequently by thyroidectomy (surgical removal and subsequent pathological examination). As the thyroid concentrates iodine, radioactive iodine is a commonly used modality in thyroid carcinomas.

Symptoms

Most often the first symptom of thyroid cancer is a nodule in the thyroid region of the neck, but only 4% of these nodules are malignant. Sometimes the first sign is an enlarged lymph node. Other symptoms that can be present are pain, changes in voice and symptoms of hypo- or hyperthyroidism.

Diagnosis

After a nodule is found during a physical examination, thyroid function is investigated by measuring, among other markers, Thyroid Stimulating hormone (TSH), the thyroid hormones thyroxine (T4) and triiodothyronine (T3), and Thyroid Binding Globulin (TBG). Tests for serum thyroid autoantibodies are also sometimes done. The blood assays are usually accompanied by ultrasound imaging of the nodule to determine the position, size and texture. Most clinicians will also request technetium and/or radioactive iodine imaging of the thyroid. The most cost-effective, sensitive and accurate test to determine whether the nodule is malignant is the fine needle biopsy, which is almost always done. Often, the suspected nodule is removed surgically for pathological examination, or a biopsy is done using a coarse needle, so that the arrangement of the cells can be examined (where the fine needle biopsy can only give individual cells).

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Phytoestrogens and thyroid cancer risk: the San Francisco Bay Area thyroid cancer study - Brief Article
From Townsend Letter for Doctors and Patients, 6/1/02 by Horn-Ross P.L.

Epidemiological and pathological data suggest that thyroid cancer may well be an estrogen-dependent disease. The relationship between thyroid cancer risk and dietary phytoestrogens, which can have both estrogenic and antiestrogenic properties, has not been previously studied. We present data from a multiethnic population-based case-control study of thyroid cancer conducted in the San Francisco Bay Area. Of 817 cases diagnosed between 1995 and 1998 (1992 and 1998 for Asian women), 608 (74%) were interviewed. Of 793 controls identified through random-digit dialing, 558 (70%) were interviewed. Phytoestrogen consumption was assessed via a food-frequency questionnaire and a newly developed nutrient database. The consumption of traditional and nontraditional soy-based foods and alfalfa sprouts were associated with reduced risk of thyroid cancer. Consumption of "western" foods with added soy flour or soy protein did not affect risk. Of the seven specific phytoestrogenic compounds examined, the isoflavones, daidzein and genistein [odds ratio (OR), 0.70; 95% confidence interval (CI), 0.44-1.1; and OR, 0.65, 95% CI, 0.41-1.0, for the highest versus lowest quintile of daidzein and genistein, respectively] and the lignan, secoisolariciresinol (OR, 0.56; 95% CI, 0.35-0.89, for the highest versus lowest quintile) were most strongly associated with risk reduction. Findings were similar for Caucasian and Asian women and for pre- and postmenopausal women. Our findings suggest that thyroid cancer prevention via dietary modification of soy and/or phytoestrogen intake in other forms may be possible but warrants further research at this time.

COPYRIGHT 2002 The Townsend Letter Group
COPYRIGHT 2002 Gale Group

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