Rates of thyroid cancer continue to climb

In recent years overall cancer rates in the USA have fallen, however the incidence of thyroid cancer continues to rise. Women are three times more likely to be diagnosed with the disease than men. It is estimated that more than 37 000 people in the United States will be diagnosed with thyroid cancer in 2010.

The thyroid gland is a butterfly shaped gland that sits at the base of your neck, just below your Adam’s apple. It produces hormones that regulate growth, your metabolic rate, body temperature, heart rate and blood pressure. Adequate thyroid hormones are also vitally important for healthy fertility and pregnancy.

Cancer occurs in the thyroid gland when cells begin to change and grow in an out of control manner. Most thyroid cancer begins as a nodule (lump on the thyroid gland). Thyroid nodules are incredibly common, particularly in women over the age of 40. Luckily more than 90 percent of thyroid nodules are not cancerous. However, if you feel or see a lump in your neck, it is vitally important you see your doctor straight away. The first step is usually a thyroid ultrasound; this is typically followed by a fine needle biopsy of the thyroid gland.

You should be familiar with what your thyroid gland normally looks like. I am always amazed when I see new patients with an obvious large growth on their thyroid gland that they claim they didn’t notice. The American Association of Clinical Endocrinologists have instructions for the Thyroid Neck Check on their website which you can view here

What causes thyroid cancer?

The following factors increase the risk:

• Exposure to radiation, for example dental X rays and low level background environmental radiation.
• Iodine deficiency. This is extremely common. There is a urine test you can have to check if you are iodine deficient. Iodine is a mineral predominantly found in the oceans, therefore seafood and seaweed are usually a good source. Much of the seafood we have available these days has been farmed, therefore is a poor source of iodine.
• Selenium deficiency. Selenium works closely with iodine in the production of thyroid hormones. Selenium also helps to protect the DNA inside your cells from damage, thereby reducing the risk of cancerous changes. Very few foods are a good source of selenium, therefore a supplement is usually required. An optimal dose is 200 micrograms per day. If you eat Brazil nuts regularly you can get a good amount of selenium from them.
• Vitamin D deficiency. This increases the risk of all types of cancer. Vitamin D helps to prevent cells from growing in an out of control manner. It puts the brakes on cell division. This is exactly what you want in order to protect you from cancer. In many parts of the world it is impossible to get sufficient vitamin D from sunlight all year round. Brief periods of sun exposure are an excellent way to manufacture vitamin D in your body but it is important to avoid becoming sunburnt. You can have a blood test to determine your body’s vitamin D level. Your level of 25 (OH) vitamin D should be between 100 and 150 nmol/L or between 40 and 60 ng/mL depending on which country you live in and the units of measurement used.
• Exposure to pesticides, insecticides and some plastics increases the risk of thyroid cancer. Many of these chemicals act as endocrine disruptors, altering the structure and function of the thyroid gland. There is a lot of information about these chemicals and how to reduce your exposure to them in our book Your Thyroid Problems Solved.

Thyroid cancer usually doesn’t cause any symptoms early on. However, as the cancer grows, the following symptoms may be present:

• A lump in the neck that can be seen or felt
• Difficulties breathing or swallowing
• Persistent hoarseness of the voice or continual need to clear the throat while speaking
• Pain in the neck or throat
• Enlarged lymph nodes in the neck

These symptoms can be caused by factors other than thyroid cancer, but if you experience these symptoms, please see your doctor. Luckily thyroid cancer is one of the easiest cancers to treat. It is very rare for the tumor to spread outside of the thyroid gland. The great majority of people make a full recovery.

Source: Mayo Clinic Women’s HealthSource


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