Effectiveness of Food in Preventing Thyroid Cancer: Systematic Review

Abstract

Introduction: The thyroid gland undergoes metabolic changes that can cause benign or malignant diseases, one of which is thyroid cancer, which is increasing worldwide, and women are most prone to develop this disease. Objective: To present scientific evidences based on a systematic review of the literature (PRISMA) verifying the effectiveness of food in preventing thyroid cancer. Method: For the selection of studies, the combination based in the Medical Subject Heading Terms (MeSH) was used. The MEDLINE (PubMed), LILACS, SciELO, BIREME and Scopus databases were utilized. The search period for the articles ranged from January 2010 to March 2020, with no language or localization restrictions. Results: 32 articles with potential for inclusion were retrieved, and three articles responded to the guiding question that consisted in analyzing the effectiveness of food in preventing thyroid cancer. Conclusion: Studies have reported a possible association between food intake and the prevention of thyroid cancer. It is suggested that food rich in calcium may play a protective role against thyroid cancer, but excessive levels of iodine in the diet may also affect thyroid function negatively due to changes in hormone levels. The researches also demonstrate that women have significantly higher incidence of thyroid cancer than men.