A 31-year-old female singer is diagnosed with advanced thyroid cancer. Why does thyroid cancer prefer young women?

On July 25, "Feng Timo posted a message confirming thyroid cancer" became a hot search. Feng Timo is a mainland singer and online anchor born in the 1990s. She revealed on Weibo that she had thyroid cancer and had recovered after surgery.

Thyroid cancer is also known as the most gentle disease, and it is also a cancer that favors girls over boys.

What is thyroid cancer?

The thyroid gland is located about 2-3 cm below the Adam's apple (the protrusion of thyroid cartilage in the human throat, which is present in both men and women, but is more prominent in men) and can move up and down when swallowing.

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The thyroid gland is the largest endocrine gland in the human body. It can synthesize and secrete thyroid hormones and regulate the body's metabolism. Thyroid cancer is a malignant tumor that is highly prevalent in women. Its pathogenic factors are complex and diverse. Among them, abnormal estrogen levels and abnormal iodine intake are the main causes of the high incidence of thyroid cancer in women.

Estrogen is a hormone that can be produced by both men and women. After women enter puberty, their ovaries begin to secrete estrogen, so the estrogen level in women is higher than that in men. Studies have shown that estrogen receptors (ER) are expressed in thyroid cancer tissues, and increased estrogen in women can enhance the proliferation of ER-positive thyroid cancer cells. Therefore, it is believed that estrogen may be an important factor in promoting thyroid cancer in women.

Thyroid cancer is three times more common in women than in men

In the past 10 years, the incidence of thyroid cancer has been increasing year by year worldwide, and the upward trend is more obvious in China, with a faster growth rate of incidence. In terms of the incidence population, the incidence rate of females is about three times that of males; in terms of the age of onset, the age of onset of thyroid cancer is getting younger; in terms of patient distribution, the incidence population of thyroid cancer is mostly concentrated in large cities and eastern coastal areas, so people who meet the above conditions should be vigilant.

Among them, young women around 30 years old should pay more attention.

Why does thyroid cancer favor young women?

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Zheng Jianwei, chief physician of the Department of General Surgery at Beijing Tiantan Hospital affiliated to Capital Medical University, said that there is no universally recognized, clear, and unified explanation for the pathogenesis of thyroid cancer, but it is generally believed that the main reasons why it favors young women are as follows:

The thyroid gland is a gland that is affected by the body's hormone levels and endocrine system. The hormone levels and endocrine system in women are usually more sensitive and changeable, so they are more likely to develop thyroid cancer.

With the change of lifestyle and the increase of work pressure, many people are facing pressure from many aspects such as family, society and work. In this case, women's mood fluctuates more and they are more likely to have negative emotions such as tension and irritability, which can also lead to changes in hormone levels in the body and induce thyroid cancer.

At the same time, improper diet is one of the main causes of thyroid cancer, such as frequent and large-scale consumption of seafood, excessive use of iodized salt when cooking, etc. Iodine intake is closely related to thyroid disease. Excessive or insufficient intake is not good. For example, excessive iodine intake may induce papillary thyroid cancer, while insufficient intake may induce follicular thyroid cancer. Therefore, everyone should develop healthy and balanced eating habits, especially control iodine intake.

In addition, thyroid disease may also be caused by ionizing radiation, which mainly refers to radiation in pathology. If a child receives multiple, repeated, and excessive radiation examinations or treatments when he or she is young, he or she will be more likely to develop thyroid cancer when he or she grows up. Therefore, if a child needs to receive radiation examinations or treatments, he or she must go to a regular hospital, and during the examination or treatment process, he or she must strictly follow the doctor's advice to protect the neck and other parts of the body. "

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How to prevent thyroid cancer

Thyroid cancer does not have any typical clinical manifestations in the early stages, so it is important to pay attention to physical examinations and take proactive measures to prevent it. People over 20 years old who are working should have a physical examination every year, and an ultrasound examination of the thyroid gland should be added during the physical examination. If a thyroid lump or mass is found during the ultrasound examination, especially a single, solid lump or mass with a diameter of more than 5 cm, it is necessary to be vigilant.

In terms of life prevention, here are some suggestions:

1. Try to maintain a happy and optimistic mood, and learn some ways to relieve stress, such as participating in some social activities, communicating with people more, etc.

2. Develop healthy and balanced eating habits. For example, for those who like light food, use iodized salt when cooking; for those who like heavy food, control the intake of seafood and high-salt foods. At the same time, avoid partial eating and overeating.

3. Actively exercise to improve the body's disease resistance.

4. Avoid radiation exposure to the head and neck during childhood as much as possible.

5. Women should try to avoid taking estrogen. If they must rely on estrogen to treat certain diseases, they must follow the advice of professional doctors.

6. If you suffer from certain diseases that can cause changes in hormone levels, such as diseases of the uterus, ovaries, breasts, etc., you should receive treatment in time.