Association of Obesity and Thyroid Cancer at a Tertiary Care Hospital in Pakistan

Abstract

ObjectiveThyroid cancer (TC) is one of the most common endocrine malignancies with a rapidly increasing worldwide presence. In Pakistan, it is more prevalent in females than males and has an incidence rate of 2.1%. Obesity and excess body mass index (BMI) has been linked to several cancers and is thought to be a risk factor for TC. We aim to investigate the incidence of TC in our population and understand it’s correlation with obesity.SubjectsThe study was a retrospective case series conducted in the years 2000 to 2014, at the Aga Khan University Hospital (AKUH), Karachi, Pakistan where 156 patients who had been diagnosed and treated for TC were analyzed. Clinicopathological data was collected from medical records of these patients and weight and height were measured, pre-surgery, post-surgery, and at follow up. The BMI was correlated with patient variables for any significant associations.ResultsThe patient set comprised of 38.5% males and 61.5% females with a mean age of 47.77 (SD ± 14.35). The BMI was significantly associated with age as 72.8% of participants were obese and >45 years old as compared to 27.2% who were under 45 years and obese (p-value <0.001). Upon comparison of the pre-surgery, post-surgery, and current mean BMI, Bonferroni pairwise comparisons showed no significant difference (p>0.999).Conclusion The majority of-of TC patients among the Pakistani population were obese and female. Age was significantly associated with the risk of having a higher BMI. Moreover, differences in BMI pre and post-surgery could not be statistically proven.

Thyroid cancer risk factors and Pakistani University students’ awareness towards its preventive practice

“…In Pakistan, some hospitals report diagnosed thyroid cancer cases; from that, the evidence of an increasing trend of thyroid cancer can be established, 25,26 but the exact prevalence of thyroid cancer is difficult to assess due to the lack of population-based statistics. Future information on the geographical distribution of cancer secondary to the detection of cancer in preventive screening relative to indigenous iodine sources will be of great value for the generation of epidemiologic hypothesis and formulation of concepts for the etiology of thyroid cancer increased prevalence in Pakistan.…”

“…Future information on the geographical distribution of cancer secondary to the detection of cancer in preventive screening relative to indigenous iodine sources will be of great value for the generation of epidemiologic hypothesis and formulation of concepts for the etiology of thyroid cancer increased prevalence in Pakistan. Additionally, the increasing incidence of thyroid cancer cases in the Pakistani population 25 could be due to unawareness of this dreadful disease and other contributing factors such as genetic, familial history, diet, radiation, and environmental factors.…”

Adiponectin and Thyroid Cancer: Insight into the Association between Adiponectin and Obesity

“…Furthermore, some studies have suggested that gender is a vital factor that effects the relationship between obesity and thyroid cancer [105][106][107][108]. Several studies have shown that obesity increases the risk of thyroid cancer regardless of gender or only in men [109], whereas the majority of population-based studies indicate that obesity increases the risk of thyroid cancer in women [110][111][112]. Additionally, BMI seems to be significantly affected by age.…”

“…Additionally, BMI seems to be significantly affected by age. A study in Pakistan showed that although patients with thyroid cancer were mostly obese women, obese patients > 45 years of age accounted for 72.8% of all patients [ 110 ]. A recent study conducted by He et al [ 101 ] suggested that an increased BMI value is accompanied by a risk for DTC in women of all ages and men under 50 years old, but not in men over the age of 50.…”

The association of obesity with thyroid carcinoma risk

“…The incidence of obesity‐related thyroid carcinoma (TC) has increased rapidly in the past few decades in different regions of the world, such as East Asia, 1 West Asia, 2 South Asia, 3 Eastern Oceania, 4 America, Europe, and the Mediterranean, 5 particularly papillary TC, and the increasing incidence of TC may be at least partly attributed to excess body fatness 6 . Although most TCs are generally asymptomatic and slow‐growing and patients with TC have a better life expectancy, overall mortality rates and advanced‐stage cases for TC may be a true rise 7 .…”