What+are+some+major+causes+of+Thyroid+Cancer

Thyroid cancer can arise from any number of carcinogens or other factors. In the project we are mainly focused on the implications of radiation and thyroid cancer. Radiation is a very well known carcinogen, and is responsible for many different types of cancer. In the case of thyroid cancer there are two main ways in which radiation is introduced to the body that results in a neoplasm forming; ingestion or contact.

In 1986 there was a nuclear power plant meltdown in Chernobyl that cause many in the surrounding area to develop cancers, thyroid cancer in particular. The melt down caused large amounts of radioactive Iodine (I-131) were released. As a result to ground and plants had I-131 infused into them, the infused plants were eaten by cows. Cows are unable to rid their body of the toxin, instead it was relocated to the milk. The cows were now producing I-131 milk that was distributed to families in the surrounding area, and soon after there was a rapid increase in thyroid cancer. Why did those who drank the milk, mostly young children and adolescents, get thyroid cancer and not another form of cancer? It is because the thyroid is responsible for the metabolism of iodine in the body. The I-131 was transported to the thyroid where it acted as a carcinogen, mutated cells into cancer cells, and cause thyroid cancer in those who drank the milk infused with I-131. Table1. Incidents of Thyroid cancer in children born before and after the melt down. The incidents of thyroid cancer increasing (p=0.006) from groups I to groups II and III.
 * I. Ingestion**
 * |||| Group I (born Jan 1, 1987 to Dec 31,1989) |||| Group II (born April 27, 1986 to Dec 31, 1986) |||| Group III (born Jan 1, 1983 to April 26, 1986) ||
 * Age at examination (years) || Boys || Girls || Boys || Girls || Boys || Girls ||
 * 8 || 0/67 || 0/75 || -- || -- || -- || -- ||
 * 9 || 0/651 || 0/667 || -- || -- || -- || -- ||
 * 10 || 0/1383 || 0/1287 || -- || -- || -- || -- ||
 * 11 || 0/1523 || 0/1457 || 0/156 || 0/149 || 0/28 || 0/26 ||
 * 12 || 0/897 || 0/858 || 0/501 || 0/406 || 0/333 || 1/345 (0.29%) ||
 * 13 || 0/305 || 0/302 || 0/437 || 1/437 (0.23%) || 1/989 (0.10%) || 6/906 (0.66%) ||
 * 14 || -- || -- || 0/164 || 0/159 || 2/1449 (0.14%) || 6/1460 (0.41%) ||
 * 15 || -- || -- || -- || -- || 3/1339 (0.22%) || 9/1319 (0.68%) ||
 * 16 || -- || -- || -- || -- || 0/579 || 2/754 (0.27%) ||
 * 17 || -- || -- || -- || -- || 1/93 (1.1%) || 0/100 ||
 * Total || 0/4826 || 0/4646 || 0/1258 || 1/1151 (0.09%) || 7/4810 (0.15%) || 24/4910 (0.49%) ||

This data from a study done by Dr Yoshisada Shibata[|1], suggests that those born after the meltdown were more affected than those born before the meltdown. This can be explained because those born after were younger and drinking more milk that would have been contaminated from the I-131. Those born before the incident were old enough to not be drinking as much milk as those who were younger. Another explanation for the increased rates would be that the mothers carrying the child in the womb may have ingested some I-131 and therefore given it the unborn child. When that child was born they would have been predisposed to developing thyroid cancer, and the increased amount from drinking milk would have only increased their risks of developing the cancer.