The current epidemic of thyroid cancer in South Korea is due to an increase in the detection of small tumors, most likely as a result of overdetection by screening.
Thyroid Cancer – Symptoms - Risk Factors - Diagnosis - Treatment - Prevention
“Shaped like a butterfly she sits within the neck,” that’s what an anonymous poet wrote about the thyroid gland but it can become cancerous and spread to other parts.
“Shaped like a butterfly she sits within the neck,” that’s what an anonymous poet wrote about the thyroid gland but it can become cancerous and spread to other parts.
‘Increase in the incidence of thyroid cancer in South Korea mainly resulted from overdetection, most likely as a result of widespread use of sensitive imaging tools.’
The researchers say concerted efforts are needed at a national level
to reduce unnecessary thyroid ultrasound examinations in the general
population. Overdiagnosis refers to the detection of harmless cancers that will not cause symptoms or death during a patient's lifetime. But because it is not possible to distinguish between lethal and harmless cancers, all cancers detected mainly by screening are treated.
This exposes people to the potential side effects of treatment, but without an equal expectation of benefit, because the cancer is unlikely to advance.
Papillary Thyroid Cancer - Types, Risk Factors, Diagnosis, Treatment
Papillary thyroid cancer accounts for almost 80 % of all thyroid cancer cases. Surgery and radioiodine therapy are the mostly used treatment options.
Papillary thyroid cancer accounts for almost 80 % of all thyroid cancer cases. Surgery and radioiodine therapy are the mostly used treatment options.
Most participants were women with an average age of 47 years. Age-standardized incidence of thyroid cancer was estimated, and the changes in incidence between 1999 and 2008 were examined according to how the tumor was detected (by screening, by clinical symptoms associated with thyroid disease, or unspecified).
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Novel Sequencing Tools to Play Important Role in Understanding Form of Papillary Thyroid Cancer: Research
Next-generation sequencing analyses of the follicular variant of papillary thyroid carcinoma may elucidate the biological underpinnings and clinical behavior of an increasingly common disease.
Next-generation sequencing analyses of the follicular variant of papillary thyroid carcinoma may elucidate the biological underpinnings and clinical behavior of an increasingly common disease.
Of the increase, 94% (34 per 100,000 people) were for tumors less than 20 mm, which were detected mainly by screening and 97% of the total increase was for localized and regional stage tumors.
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Radiation Exposure Linked to Aggressive Thyroid Cancer: Study
For the first time, researchers have found that exposure to radioactive iodine is associated with more aggressive forms of thyroid cancer.
For the first time, researchers have found that exposure to radioactive iodine is associated with more aggressive forms of thyroid cancer.
"Our study shows that the increase in the incidence of thyroid cancer in South Korea mainly resulted from overdetection, most likely as a result of widespread use of sensitive imaging tools (eg. ultrasound examination)," say the authors.
"Considering the increase in thyroid cancer incidence, the financial burden of using ultrasound to detect small tumors (and the often unnecessary subsequent surgery) is expected to rise rapidly," they warn.
They call for concerted efforts at national level "to reduce unnecessary ultrasound examination of the thyroid in the asymptomatic general population, unless clinically indicated."
In a linked editorial, US researchers say these findings "strongly suggest that the increase is due to overdiagnosis rather than an as yet unidentified new risk factor. Even more importantly, their data suggest that we might need to re-examine what we include in our definition of subclinical or indolent disease," they add.
Source-Eurekalert
