Thyroid cancer genetic factors

A history of benign thyroid diseases, mostly goiter and nodules, and long-term residency in iodine-deficient areas have now been considered as established risk factors for thyroid cancer. Pathogenesis of thyroid disease is associated with several genetic alterations. 

A multinational record study by Sandeep et al. (2006) from 13 cancer registries with 39002 patients with primary thyroid cancer showed a 30% increased risk for a second primary cancer. This study, however, did not include information regarding treatment with An increased incidence of breast cancer was found, but the authors suggest that the reciprocal association between breast cancer and thyroid cancer seems more likely to be explained by shared genetic factors and/or shared environmental risk factors. 

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