The Frequency of Thyroid Diseases in Women with Breast Cancer

Abstract

Introduction: Breast cancer and thyroid disorders are both important health problems that are common in women. The relationship between both diseases is not fully known. In this study, the frequency of thyroid diseases was investigated in patients with breast cancer.
Materials and Methods: Eighty women with breast cancer and age-matched 63 women without cancer, as the control group, were included into the study. Thyroid stimulating hormone (TSH), free T4, Anti-TPO, Anti-Tg, glucose and insülin levels were measured and all cases underwent thyroid ultrasonography (USG). Patients who had undergone thyroid surgery and who used drugs that affect glucose metabolism were excluded.
Results: The results are given in Table 1 and Table 2. Waist and hip circumferences, glucose, insulin and HOMA-IR levels were higher in patients with breast cancer. Waist hip ratio, body mass index (BMI), TSH, free T4, anti-TPO and anti-thyroglobulin levels and thyroid volumes were similar in both groups. Rates of autoantibody positivity, the presence of nodules and thyroiditis in USG were similar in both groups. The frequency of hypothyroidism was similar in both groups. Thyrotoxicosis was not detected in the breast cancer group, whereas in the control group, thyrotoxicosis was detected in 4(6.3%) patients (p= 0.022).
Discussion: Thyrotoxicosis was found to be less frequent in patients with breast cancer, although nodular goiter, autoimmune thyroid disease, and hypothyroidism frequencies were similar. We believe that prospective studies involving more cases should be appropriate to remove the suspicion of the relationship between breast cancer and thyroid diseases.