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Risk factors
By Mayo Clinic staffFactors that may increase the risk of thyroid cancer include:
- Exposure to high levels of radiation. Examples of high levels of radiation include those that come from radiation treatment to the head and neck and from fallout from nuclear accidents or weapons testing.
- Personal or family history of goiter. Goiter is a noncancerous enlargement of the thyroid.
- Certain inherited genetic syndromes. Genetic syndromes that increase the risk of thyroid cancer include familial medullary thyroid cancer, multiple endocrine neoplasia and familial adenomatous polyposis.
References
- SEER stat fact sheets. Surveillance Epidemiology and End Results. http://seer.cancer.gov/statfacts/hrml/thyro.html. Accessed Feb. 12, 2009.
- Thyroid carcinoma. Fort Washington, Pa.: National Comprehensive Cancer Network. http://www.nccn.org/professionals/physician_gls/PDF/thyroid.pdf. Accessed Feb. 12, 2009.
- What you need to know about thyroid cancer. National Cancer Institute. http://www.cancer.gov/cancertopics/wyntk/thyroid/allpages/print. Accessed Feb. 12, 2009.
- Cancer of the thyroid. American Thyroid Association. http://www.thyroid.org/patients/patient_brochurs/cancer_of_thyroid.html. Accessed Feb. 18, 2009.
- Lal G, et al. Cancer of the endocrine system. In: Abeloff MD, et al. Abeloff's Clinical Oncology. 4th ed. Philadelphia, Pa.: Churchill Livingstone; 2008:1271.
- Thyroid scan and uptake. RadiologyInfo. http://www.radiologyinfo.org/en/info.cfm?PG=thyroiduptake. Accessed Feb. 18, 2009.
- Dralle H, et al. Surgical approaches in thyroid cancer and lymph-node metastases. Best Practice & Research Clinical Endocrinology & Metabolism. 2008;22:971.
- Radioiodine (I-131) therapy for hyperthyroidism. RadiologyInfo. http://www.radiologyinfo.org/en/info.cfm?PG=radioiodine. Accessed Feb. 18, 2009.
- Can thyroid cancer be prevented? American Cancer Society. http://www.cancer.org/docroot/CRI/content/CRI_2_4_2X_Can_thyroid_cancer_be_prevented_43.asp?sitearea=. Accessed Feb. 19, 2009.
- Use of potassium iodide. United States Nuclear Regulatory Commission. http://www.nrc.gov/about-nrc/emerg-preparedness/protect-public/potassium-iodid-use.html. Accessed Feb. 19, 2009.
- What can I do to prepare for a radiological emergency? United States Nuclear Regulatory Commission. http://www.nrc.gov/about-nrc/emerg-preparedness/prepare-for-radiological-emerg.html. Accessed Feb. 19, 2009.
- Kronenberg HM, et al. Williams Textbook of Endocrinology. 11th ed. Philadelphia, Pa.: Saunders Elsevier; 2008:422.
- Nippoldt TB (expert opinion). Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Minn. March 13, 2009.
