Skip to main content

Advertisement

SpringerLink
Log in

Anthropometric factors at age 20 years and risk of thyroid cancer

  • Original Paper
  • Published:
Cancer Causes & Control Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Effect of anthropometric factors at adolescence and the change since young age on thyroid cancer risk is unclear. Here, we conducted a case–control study to investigate the association between anthropometric factors at the time of diagnosis and age 20 years and risk of thyroid cancer. A total of 173 patients with thyroid cancer (papillary carcinoma, n = 167 and follicular carcinoma, n = 6) and 865 age- and sex-matched controls were included. Anthropometric factors were assessed using a validated self-administered questionnaire and categorized into three groups. Odd ratios (ORs) with 95% confidence intervals (CIs) were estimated using conditional logistic models adjusted for potential confounders. Results showed a positive association between current weights, weight at age 20 years and height, and thyroid cancer risk. Adjusted ORs in the top tertiles were 2.46 (95% CI, 1.54–3.94; trend p < 0.001) for current weight, 2.69 (95% CI, 1.71–4.25; trend p < 0.001) for weight at age 20 years and 2.44 (95% CI, 1.52–3.93; trend p < 0.001) for height compared with the lowest tertile. A positive association with current body surface area (BSA), BSA at age 20 years, and current body mass index was also observed, with respective adjusted ORs in the top tertile of 1.96 (95% CI, 1.23–3.11; trend p = 0.007), 1.82 (95% CI, 1.15–2.88; trend p = 0.007) and 1.71 (95% CI, 1.06–2.78; trend p = 0.034). In contrast, no association with risk was seen for a change in anthropometric factors since age 20 years. These findings suggested that body size in early life as well as in adult is associated with an increased risk of thyroid cancer.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  1. Center for Cancer Control and Information Services, National Cancer Center (2006) Cancer incidence (1975–2001). Center for Cancer Control and Information Services, National Cancer Center, Japan

  2. Cardis E, Kesminiene A, Ivanov V et al (2005) Risk of thyroid cancer after exposure to 131I in childhood. J Natl Cancer Inst 97:724–732

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  3. Franceschi S, Preston-Martin S, Dal Maso L et al (1999) A pooled analysis of case–control studies of thyroid cancer. IV. Benign thyroid diseases. Cancer Causes Control 10:583–595. doi:10.1023/A:1008907227706

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  4. Yoshiike N, Matsumura Y, Zaman MM, Yamaguchi M (1998) Descriptive epidemiology of body mass index in Japanese adults in a representative sample from the National Nutrition Survey 1990–1994. Int J Obes Relat Metab Disord 22:684–687. doi:10.1038/sj.ijo.0800651

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  5. Dal Maso L, La Vecchia C, Franceschi S et al (2000) A pooled analysis of thyroid cancer studies. V. Anthropometric factors. Cancer Causes Control 11:137–144. doi:10.1023/A:1008938520101

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  6. Iribarren C, Haselkorn T, Tekawa IS, Friedman GD (2001) Cohort study of thyroid cancer in a San Francisco Bay area population. Int J Cancer 93:745–750. doi:10.1002/ijc.1377

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  7. Engeland A, Tretli S, Akslen LA, Bjorge T (2006) Body size and thyroid cancer in two million Norwegian men and women. Br J Cancer 95:366–370. doi:10.1038/sj.bjc.6603249

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  8. Guignard R, Truong T, Rougier Y, Baron-Dubourdieu D, Guenel P (2007) Alcohol drinking, tobacco smoking, and anthropometric characteristics as risk factors for thyroid cancer: a countrywide case–control study in New Caledonia. Am J Epidemiol 166(10):1140–1149

    Google Scholar 

  9. Tajima K, Hirose K, Inoue M, Takezaki T, Hamajima N, Kuroishi T (2000) A model of practical cancer prevention for out-patients visiting a hospital: the hospital-based epidemiologic research program at Aichi Cancer Center (HERPACC). Asian Pac J Cancer Prev 1:35–47

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  10. Hamajima N, Matsuo K, Saito T et al (2001) Gene-environment interactions and polymorphism studies of cancer risk in the hospital-based epidemiologic research program at Aichi Cancer Center II (HERPACC-II). Asian Pac J Cancer Prev 2:99–107

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  11. Inoue M, Tajima K, Hirose K et al (1995) Subsite-specific risk factors for colorectal cancer: a hospital-based case–control study in Japan. Cancer Causes Control 6:14–22. doi:10.1007/BF00051676

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  12. Inoue M, Tajima K, Hirose K et al (1997) Epidemiological features of first-visit outpatients in Japan: comparison with general population and variation by sex, age, and season. J Clin Epidemiol 50:69–77. doi:10.1016/S0895-4356(96)00297-1

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  13. Rothman KJ (2002) Epidemiology an introduction. Oxford University Press, New York, pp 82–84

    Google Scholar 

  14. Miki H, Oshimo K, Inoue H, Morimoto T, Monden Y (1990) Sex hormone receptors in human thyroid tissues. Cancer 66:1759–1762. doi:10.1002/1097-0142(19901015)66:8≤1759::AID-CNCR2820660820≥3.0.CO;2-X

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  15. Takeichi N, Ito H, Haruta R, Matsuyama T, Dohi K, Tahara E (1991) Relation between estrogen receptor and malignancy of thyroid cancer. Jpn J Cancer Res 82:19–22

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  16. Knudsen N, Laurberg P, Rasmussen LB et al (2005) Small differences in thyroid function may be important for body mass index and the occurrence of obesity in the population. J Clin Endocrinol Metab 90:4019–4024. doi:10.1210/jc.2004-2225

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  17. Brabant G, Maenhaut C, Kohrle J et al (1991) Human thyrotropin receptor gene: expression in thyroid tumors and correlation to markers of thyroid differentiation and dedifferentiation. Mol Cell Endocrinol 82:R7–R12. doi:10.1016/0303-7207(91)90018-N

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  18. Mazzaferri EL, Jhiang SM (1994) Long-term impact of initial surgical and medical therapy on papillary and follicular thyroid cancer. Am J Med 97:418–428. doi:10.1016/0002-9343(94)90321-2

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  19. Gasperi M, Martino E, Manetti L et al (2002) Prevalence of thyroid diseases in patients with acromegaly: results of an Italian multi-center study. J Endocrinol Invest 25:240–245

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  20. Tita P, Ambrosio MR, Scollo C et al (2005) High prevalence of differentiated thyroid carcinoma in acromegaly. Clin Endocrinol (Oxf) 63:161–167. doi:10.1111/j.1365-2265.2005.02316.x

    Article  Google Scholar 

  21. Balkany C, Cushing GW (1995) An association between acromegaly and thyroid carcinoma. Thyroid 5:47–50

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  22. Engstrom JL, Paterson SA, Doherty A, Trabulsi M, Speer KL (2003) Accuracy of self-reported height and weight in women: an integrative review of the literature. J Midwifery Womens Health 48:338–345. doi:10.1016/S1526-9523(03)00281-2

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  23. Nakamura K, Hoshino Y, Kodama K, Yamamoto M (1999) Reliability of self-reported body height and weight of adult Japanese women. J Biosoc Sci 31:555–558. doi:10.1017/S0021932099005556

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

Download references

Acknowledgments

The authors are grateful to the doctors, nurses, technical, and administration staff of Aichi Cancer Center Hospital for their ongoing daily administration of the HERPACC study. We are greatly indebted to the staff of the Department of Head and neck surgery, Aichi Cancer Center Hospital, for their support and helpful discussions. This study was supported by Grants-in-Aid for Scientific Research from the Ministry of Education, Science, Sports, Culture and Technology of Japan, for Cancer Research from the Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare of Japan, and for the Third Term Comprehensive 10-year Strategy for Cancer Control from the Ministry of Health, Labour, and Welfare of Japan.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Division of Epidemiology and Prevention, Aichi Cancer Center Research Institute, 1-1 Kanokoden, Chikusa-ku, Nagoya, 464-8681, Japan

    Takeshi Suzuki, Keitaro Matsuo, Takakazu Kawase, Hideo Tanaka & Kazuo Tajima

  2. Department of Epidemiology, Nagoya University Graduate School of Medicine, 65 Tsurumai-cho, Showa-ku, Nagoya, 466-8550, Japan

    Keitaro Matsuo

  3. Department of Head and Neck Surgery, Aichi Cancer Center Hospital, 1-1 Kanokoden, Chikusa-ku, Nagoya, 464-8681, Japan

    Yasuhisa Hasegawa

  4. Health Service Center, Okayama University, 2-1-1 Tsushimanaka, Okayama, 700-8530, Japan

    Akio Hiraki

  5. Aichi Cancer Center Research Institute, Nagoya, Japan

    Kazuo Tajima

Authors
  1. Takeshi Suzuki
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Keitaro Matsuo
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. Yasuhisa Hasegawa
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  4. Akio Hiraki
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  5. Takakazu Kawase
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  6. Hideo Tanaka
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  7. Kazuo Tajima
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Takeshi Suzuki.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Suzuki, T., Matsuo, K., Hasegawa, Y. et al. Anthropometric factors at age 20 years and risk of thyroid cancer. Cancer Causes Control 19, 1233–1242 (2008). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10552-008-9194-x

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10552-008-9194-x

Keywords

Search

Navigation