A national database analysis for factors associated with thyroid cancer occurrence

Joon-Hyop Lee,Young Jun Chai,Kyu Eun Lee,Ka Hee Yi,Sohee Jung,Won Seo Park,Yoo Seung Chung,Kwangsoo Kim,Sora Youn

doi:10.1038/s41598-020-74546-3

Abstract

In order to analyze the associations between thyroid cancer and environmental factors, we analyzed the national sample cohort representative of the entire population provided by the Korean National Health Insurance Service database record from 2006 to 2015. The cohort was categorized according to age, body mass index, income, residential areas, frequency of exercise, frequency of alcohol drinking, diet, presence or absence of hyperthyroidism, presence or absence of hypothyroidism, and smoking data. Age ≥ 55 years (HR 0.68, 95% CI 0.53–0.88), lower income (0.57, 0.40–0.80), and current smoking (0.69, 0.55–0.85) were associated with lower thyroid cancer occurrence among men. Body mass index (BMI) ≥ 25 kg/m2 (1.51, 1.26–1.82), higher income (1.44, 1.19–1.76), urban residence (1.24, 1.03–1.49), and presence of hypothyroidism (3.31, 2.38–4.61) or hyperthyroidism (2.46, 1.75–3.46) were associated with higher thyroid cancer occurrence among men. Age ≥ 55 years (0.63, 0.56–0.71), moderate alcohol drinking (0.87, 0.77–0.99), and current smoking (0.56, 0.37–0.85) were associated with lower thyroid cancer occurrence among women. BMI ≥ 25 kg/m2 (1.41, 1.26–1.57), frequent exercise (1.21, 1.07–1.36), higher income (1.18, 1.06–1.32), urban residence (1.17, 1.06–1.29), and presence of hypothyroidism (1.60, 1.40–1.82) or hyperthyroidism (1.38, 1.19–1.61) were associated with higher thyroid cancer occurrence among women. In conclusion, age ≥ 55 years and current smoking were associated with lower thyroid cancer occurrence, while BMI ≥ 25 kg/m2, higher income, urban residence, hypothyroidism, and hyperthyroidism were associated with higher occurrence in both men and women.

Highlights

Variable Total Sex Men Women Age < 55 ≥ 55 body mass index (BMI) < 25 ≥ 25 Exercise < 3 times per week ≥ 3 times per week Income Middle class Lower class Upper class Residential area Others City Hypothyroidism No Yes Hyperthyroidism No Yes Alcohol drinking Never < 3 times per week ≥ 3 times per week Diet Vegetarian Well-balanced Meat Smoking Never smoker Former smoker Current smoker
Age ≥ 55 years (HR 0.68, 95% confidence interval (CI) 0.53–0.88), lower income (HR 0.57, 95% CI 0.40–0.80), and current smoking (HR 0.69, 95% CI 0.55–0.85) were associated with lower thyroid cancer occurrence among men
BMI ≥ 25 kg/ m2 (HR 1.51, 95% CI 1.26–1.82), higher income (HR 1.44, 95% CI 1.19–1.76), urban residence (HR 1.24, 95% CI 1.03–1.49), and presence of hypothyroidism (HR 3.31, 95% CI 2.38–4.61) or hyperthyroidism (HR 2.46, 95% CI 1.75–3.46) were associated with higher thyroid cancer occurrence among men (p < 0.05, Supplement 1)

Summary

Introduction

Variable Total Sex Men Women Age (years) < 55 ≥ 55 BMI (kg/m2) < 25 ≥ 25 Exercise < 3 times per week ≥ 3 times per week Income Middle class Lower class Upper class Residential area Others City Hypothyroidism No Yes Hyperthyroidism No Yes Alcohol drinking Never < 3 times per week ≥ 3 times per week Diet Vegetarian Well-balanced Meat Smoking Never smoker Former smoker Current smoker. Comprehensively analyzed the associations between thyroid cancer and environmental factors by extracting a thyroid cancer patient group and a control non-cancer group from the nation-wide insurance database

Methods

Results

Conclusion