Overview of thyroid cancer

Nowadays, thyroid cancer is known to more and more people because it is a very serious tumor disease. Once it occurs, it will cause great damage to our physical health. So this article is an overview of thyroid cancer. I hope the following content can help everyone.

1. Introduction to the incidence and trend of thyroid cancer

Thyroid cancer is the most common malignant tumor of the endocrine system, accounting for 1.6% of all malignant tumors, and the incidence rate is showing a trend of continuous growth. Recent data show that the incidence rate of thyroid cancer in the United States in 2008 was 12.9/100,000; while the data in Shanghai, China during the same period showed that the incidence rate of thyroid cancer in men was 5.83/100,000 and that in women was 21.2/100,000, rising to the fifth place among malignant tumors in women, of which more than 80% of the cases were papillary thyroid cancer (PTC). According to statistics from the Beijing Institute of Oncology, thyroid cancer has become the fastest growing malignant tumor in Beijing.

In 2010, the incidence of thyroid cancer in Beijing was 8.78/100,000, an increase of 225.2% from 2.70/100,000 in 2001. The incidence of thyroid cancer in women has risen to 13.63/100,000, with a male-female ratio of 3:10.

2. What factors are related to the high incidence of thyroid cancer? Can it be prevented? Who is prone to thyroid cancer? Why are women more likely to get it?

The etiology of thyroid cancer is complex and may be related to genetic factors, environmental radiation, iodine intake, gender, age, etc. In recent years, relevant genetic studies have shown that the occurrence of thyroid cancer is related to BRAF, RAS gene mutations and RET/PTC gene rearrangements. Further studies have shown that papillary thyroid carcinoma is related to BRAF gene point mutations, which cause carcinogenesis through the activation of MAPK signaling. Clinical specimen testing shows that 45% of patients with papillary thyroid carcinoma have positive BRAF gene mutations; while follicular thyroid carcinoma is related to RAS gene point mutations, and causes carcinogenesis through the activation of PI3K/AKT signaling pathways. Clinical specimen testing shows that 45% of patients with follicular thyroid carcinoma have positive RAS gene mutations.

History of exposure to ionizing radiation in the neck during childhood is another important risk factor for thyroid cancer. The results of a genome-wide association study dedicated to radiation-related diseases showed that after the Chernobyl nuclear radiation incident, the incidence of papillary thyroid cancer in Belarusian children exposed to radioactive iodine radiation contaminated areas increased significantly when they reached adolescence. It can be seen that having a family genetic tendency, being easily exposed to radiation in life, and consuming too much or too little iodine in the diet may all cause the occurrence of thyroid cancer. Preventing nuclear radiation and maintaining an appropriate level of iodine intake may reduce the occurrence of thyroid cancer. The reason why there are more middle-aged and young female patients may be related to the level of female hormone secretion.