Alcohol abuse as a risk factor for developing thyroid cancer

Abstract

Introduction/Objective Alcohol abuse influence on developing thyroid cancer is controversial. While some studies consider it a protective factor, others deny any impact on thyroid cancer. The objective of the paper was to establish a possible link between alcohol abuse and certain types of thyroid cancers.

Methods The retrospective study included 502 patients with thyroid cancer and a control group of 600 patients with benign forms of thyroid diseases (e.g. nodular, multinodular, and toxic nodular goiter). Thyroid cancer patients were divided into four groups: I – papillary, II – medullary, III – anaplastic, and IV – follicular carcinoma, and grouped by sex, age (< 30 years; > 30 years) and alcohol abuse, as defined by the World Health Organization.

Results Thyroid cancer patients were predominantly male of younger age. This distribution difference was statistically significant in groups I and II (p < 0.001). Of total 10 (0.9%) patients with chronic alcohol abuse, eight (1.6%) had thyroid cancer, while two (0.3%) belonged to the control group (p < 0.001). In thyroid cancer patients, chronic alcohol abuse was absent from groups III and IV. Distribution in groups I and II was six (1.6%) and two (2%), respectively (p < 0.001).

Conclusion Alcohol abuse deserves to be considered as a risk factor for papillary and medullary forms of thyroid cancer, while it does not stay the same for anaplastic and follicular thyroid cancers.

Keywords: thyroid cancer; papillary cancer; medullary cancer; anaplastic cancer; follicular cancer; alcohol abuse