Endocrine Abstracts

Premises: Numerous recent medical journals and communications insist on the high prevalence of Hashimoto’s thyroiditis (HT) associated with breast cancer in women (see www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/ key words: breast cancer, thyroiditis, #91).

Objective: We proposed to present data from our casuistry related to HT (over 2000 patients and control, including men), observed during last 10 years.

Materials and methods: A. Patients: 950 consecutive women with HT, compared with 860 women with other thyroid diseases or normal thyroid, as controls, were investigated for breast cancer. B. All the patients had: i) ATPO analysis, for inclusion or exclusion HT diagnostic; ii) thyroid ultrasound; iii) FT₄ and TSH; iv) breast specific investigations (ultrasound and/or mammography). C. Statistical analysis was done by χ²-test.

Results: Breast cancer was registered in only 19 women (prevalence 1.05%): 11 with HT (prevalence 1.16%), 8 with other thyroid diagnostics (prevalence 0.93%).

Statistical analysis: χ²=0.55, P=0.36 (nonsignificant).

Discussion: Breast cancer prevalence in general population is around 0.85% (see, for USA, seer.cancer.gov/statfacts/html/breast). Breast cancer in HT seems to be more than in general population: 1.05 vs 0.85%. But, introducing the data in a χ² test, the result will be: X²=0.36, P=0.83 (nonsignificant). Considering all our patients (TH and control) versus general population, χ² test will be: X²=0.51, P=0.42 (nonsignificant).

Conclusion: i) Women with Hashimoto’s thyroiditis did not associated more breast cancer than other women with other thyroid clinical conditions. ii) Breast cancer in women with Hashimoto thyroiditis in no more prevalent than breast cancer in general population. iii) Breast cancer in women with Hashimoto thyroiditis and other thyroid clinical condition in no more prevalent than breast cancer in general population.