Thyroid Cancer: Nutritional Considerations

In epidemiologic studies, certain dietary patterns are associated with reduced risk for thyroid cancer. As is the case with many other types of cancer, eating more fruits and vegetables, avoiding animal fat, and replacing animal products with plant–based foods appear to have a protective effect.

Avoiding animal products. Persons who consume large amounts of butter and cheese have a 2.1–fold and 1.4–fold higher risk for thyroid cancer, respectively, than those who consume small amounts of these foods.² High intakes of processed fish products and chicken were associated with roughly double the risk for thyroid cancer,³ while frequent pork consumption raised the risk by about 1.6–fold.⁴ Retinol, a form of vitamin A obtained from animal products, including eggs and milk, increased the risk for thyroid carcinoma 1.5–fold in persons with the highest intakes, compared with those who had the lowest intakes.⁵

Increasing vegetables and fruits. A diet that includes large amounts of fruits and vegetables appears to reduce thyroid cancer risk by roughly 10% to 30%.^4,6 Individuals with higher intake of beta–carotene appear to have half the risk for thyroid cancer compared with persons with lowest intake.⁵

In addition, it may be that certain components of a traditional Asian diet lower the risk for thyroid cancer. Studies have found that cancer and other thyroid diseases occur more often among Asian migrants to the United States than among Asians in their native or host countries.⁷ The explanation may relate not only to the relative scarcity of animal products in an Asian diet compared with a Western diet, but also to the inclusion of soy and tea. When comparing lowest with highest intakes of soy foods, women consuming the greatest amount had a 30% to 44% lower risk for thyroid cancer.⁸ Tea consumption (> 3 cups/day), another characteristic of traditional Asian diets, conferred a 70% lower risk for thyroid cancer in women.⁹

Orders

See Basic Diet Orders chapter.

What to Tell the Family

Thyroid cancer, like many cancers, is a disease that some people may prevent by following a healthy diet and lifestyle, although evidence does not yet permit a firm conclusion. Surgery is the treatment of choice, followed by appropriate chemotherapy or radiation.