Risk Factors for Thyroid Cancer:

What Are Your Chances of Developing This Increasingly Common Disease?

Over the course of the last several decades, the number of cases of thyroid cancer that are diagnosed annually has increased considerably. Researchers are unsure as to the causes of this apparent epidemic of thyroid cancers, and significant research resources have been focused on solving this confounding puzzle.

Some scientists contend that improved diagnostic techniques and clinical procedures have contributed to the rise in thyroid cancer diagnoses. Others believe that environmental variables, such as pollutants and radiation, may be to blame.

Although the jury is still out on the cause of thyroid cancer's precipitous rise, it is clear that this is a public health challenge that must be reckoned with. Health experts say that early detection of thyroid cancer is the best way to combat the disease. Like many other types of cancer, the prognosis for thyroid cancer patients is significantly better if the disease is caught in its early developmental stages.

It is important for each person to be aware of their unique risk profile for thyroid cancer. This week, we'll take a look at the factors and variables that are known to increase an individual's risk of developing this disease.

Genetic Factors in Thyroid Cancer Risk

One of the newest horizons in thyroid cancer research is identifying the role of genetic, hereditary, and congenital variables in the origins of the disease. Although the genetic component of thyroid cancer is still not fully understood, researchers have identified several possible risk factors that appear to be linked to the disease.

The type of thyroid cancer known as medullary thyroid cancer has been shown to be the result of genetic factors in some cases. Approximately 20% of the diagnoses of this form of the disease have been linked to a specific genetic mutation. These cases often occur in childhood, adolescence, or young adulthood. In families where this genetic aberration has been identified, screening can help determine each member's degree of risk.

There have also been studies that seem to link a heightened risk of thyroid cancers to other diseases. Both goiters and colon polyps have been associated with a disproportionate risk profile.

Environmental Factors in Thyroid Cancer Risk

There are several known environmental risk factors that have been linked to the increase in thyroid cancer. The most notable of these is exposure to radiation. In areas that have been affected by nuclear disasters or other forms of high-level radiation, thyroid cancer rates have skyrocketed.

Exposure to radiation in therapeutic doses has also been linked to thyroid cancer. For example, a childhood history of radiation therapy for Hodgkin's disease has been linked to an increased risk. Exposure to an abnormally large dose of x-ray radiation can also increase thyroid cancer risk.

In the early decades of the twentieth century, it was commonplace for doctors to treat a wide array of childhood illnesses with doses of radiation thought to be therapeutic. Ailments ranging from tonsillitis to migraine headaches were treated with targeted doses of radiation in the head and neck area. Adults who were subjected to these treatments are now regarded as being at extremely high risk for developing thyroid cancers, and are advised to work closely with trained medical professionals to monitor any possible problems.

Dietary factors also play a role in determining an individual's thyroid cancer risk. Though rare in developed nations such as the United States, iodine deficiency is a long-established risk factor for the disease.

Demographic and Population Factors in Thyroid Cancer Risk

Thyroid cancer has been known to strike in every segment of the population. However, epidemiologic studies have revealed certain demographic categories that appear to be at greater risk for developing the disease.

With rare exceptions, thyroid cancer seems most likely to strike individuals over the age of forty. Women develop the disease more than three times as often as their male counterparts. Likewise, Caucasians stand out among all ethnic groups as being at highest risk for developing the disease.

If you have any of these risk factors, it is important to monitor your situation closely and keep an eye out for any early symptoms of thyroid cancer. Talk to your doctor to develop a personal prevention strategy. Be sure to check back each week for more thyroid health news.

For Further Reading

• http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/thyroid-cancer/DS00492/DSECTION=4

• http://www.cancer.gov/cancertopics/wyntk/thyroid/page5

• http://www.bbc.co.uk/health/conditions/thyroid1.shtml