International Journal of Epidemiology, Vol 28, 626-630, Copyright © 1999 by International Epidemiological Association
F Fioretti, A Tavani, S Gallus, S Franceschi, E Negri and C La Vecchia
BACKGROUND: The percentage of thyroid cancer cases attributable to specific
risk factors can be calculated to focus preventive strategies. The per cent
population attributable risks (PAR) for thyroid cancer were estimated in
relation to history of benign thyroid diseases, history of radiotherapy,
residence in endemic goitre areas and selected indicators of a poor diet,
using data from a case-control study conducted between 1986 and 1992 in
Northern Italy. METHODS: Cases were 399 histologically confirmed incident
thyroid cancers and controls were 617 patients, admitted to hospital for a
wide range of acute, non- neoplastic, non-hormone-related diseases. The PAR
were computed on the basis of multivariate odds ratios (OR) and on the
distribution of risk exposure among cases, assuming they are representative
of the general population of cases. RESULTS: A history of benign thyroid
disease accounted for 18.9% of cases, radiotherapy for 1.2%, residence for
> or =20 years in endemic goitre areas for 2.4% of cases, and their
combination for 21.7% of thyroid cancer cases; selected indicators of a
poor diet accounted for 40.9% of thyroid cancer cases in this population.
The combination of all factors considered explained over 57% of thyroid
cancer cases in both sexes. The estimates for thyroid- related conditions
were higher in women than men, whereas the opposite was true for dietary
indicators. The overall PAR were somewhat higher in people aged > or =45
years (63.8%) than in younger subjects, and for follicular (69.1%) rather
than papillary (53.7%) cancers. CONCLUSIONS: Exposure to a few simply
identified and potentially modifiable risk factors or indicators (benign
thyroid disease, residence in endemic goitre area and a poor diet)
explained about 60% of thyroid cancer cases in this Italian population,
indicating the theoretical scope for prevention.
ARTICLES
Case-control study of thyroid cancer in Northern Italy: attributable risk
Istituto di Ricerche Farmacologiche Mario Negri, Milan, Italy. tavani@irfmn.mnegri.it
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