Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jun 19, 2026

In Vivo Inhibition of MicroRNA to Decrease Tumor Growth in Mice
Published on: August 23, 2019
Thyroid cancer and inflammation
Valentina Guarino1, Maria Domenica Castellone, Elvira Avilla
1Dipartimento di Biologia e Patologia Cellulare e Molecolare/Istituto di Endocrinologia ed Oncologia Sperimentale del CNR G. Salvatore, Italy.
Abstract:
Some cancer types are strongly associated with chronic inflammatory or infectious diseases whereas others are not, but an inflammatory component is present in most human neoplastic lesions. This review focuses on various aspects of thyroid cancer and inflammation. The incidence of thyroid cancer, in particular of well-differentiated papillary thyroid carcinomas (PTCs), is increased in autoimmune thyroid diseases such as Hashimoto's thyroiditis. Thyroid cancer often has an inflammatory cell infiltrate, which includes lymphocytes, macrophages, dendritic cells and mast cells, whose role in thyroid cancer is still not completely understood. However, most experimental evidence suggests these cells exert a protumorigenic function. Moreover, oncoproteins typically expressed in human PTCs, such as RET/PTC, RAS, and BRAF, trigger a proinflammatory programme in thyreocytes. These data suggest that inflammatory molecules are promising targets for thyroid cancer therapy.
Related Concept Videos
Graves Disease II: Pathophysiology
Graves' Disease I: Introduction
Hyperthyroidism II: Pathophysiology
Hyperthyroidism I: Introduction
Inflammatory Bowel Disease III: Crohn's Disease
Synthesis and Regulation of Thyroid Hormones
Upon reaching the thyroid gland, TSH stimulates the follicular cells' active uptake of iodide ions from the blood. The ions diffuse to the apical surface of the cells and are oxidized to iodine. The iodine is then...