Related Experiment Video
Updated: May 19, 2026
05:39
Spontaneous Murine Model of Anaplastic Thyroid Cancer
Published on: February 3, 2023
Higher TSH level is a risk factor for differentiated thyroid cancer.
Hee Kyung Kim1, Jee Hee Yoon, Soo Jeong Kim
1Department of Internal Medicine, Chonnam National University Hwasun Hospital, Chonnam National University Medical School, Gwangju, South Korea.
Clinical Endocrinology
|August 29, 2012
Summary
Elevated thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH) levels within the normal range are linked to an increased risk of differentiated thyroid cancer (DTC). This finding suggests TSH may play a role in thyroid cancer development.
Area of Science:
- Endocrinology
- Oncology
- Epidemiology
Background:
- Thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH) is a key regulator of thyroid function.
- Elevated TSH levels have been anecdotally associated with differentiated thyroid cancers (DTC).
Purpose of the Study:
- To validate the association between TSH levels and DTC.
- To compare TSH levels in euthyroid DTC patients with healthy controls.
Main Methods:
- A case-control study involving 1759 DTC patients and 1548 healthy controls.
- Subjects were stratified into four groups based on TSH levels, with the lowest quartile as the reference.
Main Results:
- The mean TSH level was significantly higher in the DTC group (1.95 ± 0.9 mIU/l) compared to controls (1.62 ± 0.8 mIU/l).
- Increased TSH quartiles correlated with higher DTC risk (ORs ranging from 1.27 to 2.21).
- No significant TSH differences were found across various tumor stages or sizes.
Conclusions:
- Normal-range elevated TSH is an independent risk factor for DTC.
- TSH levels may aid in identifying high-risk individuals with thyroid nodules requiring further evaluation.
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