ArticleBMJ (Clinical research ed.)2016
Association between screening and the thyroid cancer "epidemic" in South Korea: evidence from a nationwide study.
Article in BMJ (Clinical research ed.), 2016. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 130 papers, 8 of them syntheses that pooled it.
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Who cites it
130 citing papers in PubMed, 8 syntheses or guidelines pooled it.
- The myth of iodine: A systematic review and meta-analysis on the relationship between iodine and thyroid nodule.Journal of endocrinological investigation · 2025Pooled it
- The 2024 revised clinical guidelines on the management of thyroid tumors by the Japan Association of Endocrine Surgery.Endocrine journal · 2025Guideline
- Thyroid cancer risk after radiation exposure in adults-systematic review and meta-analysis.Journal of radiation research · 2023Pooled it
- Lower Thyroid Cancer Mortality in Patients Detected by Screening: A Meta-Analysis.Endocrinology and metabolism (Seoul, Korea) · 2023Pooled it
- Assessment of Radiofrequency Ablation for Papillary Microcarcinoma of the Thyroid: A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis.JAMA otolaryngology-- head & neck surgery · 2022Pooled it
- Total thyroidectomy versus lobectomy for papillary thyroid cancer: A systematic review and meta-analysis.Medicine · 2020Pooled it
- Association between vitamin D deficiency and risk of thyroid cancer: a case-control study and a meta-analysis.Journal of endocrinological investigation · 2018Pooled it
- Prevalence and outcomes of incidental imaging findings: umbrella review.BMJ (Clinical research ed.) · 2018Pooled it
- Obesity is positively related and tobacco smoking and alcohol consumption are negatively related to an increased risk of thyroid cancer.Scientific reports · 2020Trial
- Trial
- Trends in lung cancer incidence and mortality and the potential for overdiagnosis associated with computed tomography screening across 21 countries on six continents.Journal of thoracic disease · 2026Article
- Value of TERT promoter mutations for early outcomes in papillary thyroid cancer.Endocrine-related cancer · 2026Article
- Review
- [Ultrasound in secondary prevention of thyroid nodules-evidence, benefits, and limitations].HNO · 2026Review
- Cancer incidence near nuclear facilities in Korea (2005-2022): implications of regional socioeconomic status and industrial context.BMC public health · 2026Article
- Long-term metabolic risks after thyroidectomy and thyroid hormone therapy in thyroid cancer survivors: a nationwide cohort study.Frontiers in endocrinology · 2026Article
- Article
- Unravelling the rise in thyroid cancer incidence and addressing overdiagnosis.Nature reviews. Endocrinology · 2026Review
- Risk of thyroid dysfunction after COVID-19 vaccination: meta-analysis of 11 million individuals.Annals of medicine and surgery (2012) · 2025Article
- Differentiated thyroid cancer in two European referral centres: impact of different diagnostic and therapeutic strategies.European thyroid journal · 2025Article
70 more citing papers are in PubMed but not listed here.
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Authors and funding
11 authors.
Funding
No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.
Abstract
objectiveTo investigate whether screening for thyroid cancer led to the current "epidemic" in South Korea.
designReview of the medical records of nationally representative samples of patients with a diagnosis of thyroid cancer in 1999, 2005, and 2008.
settingSample cases were randomly selected from South Korea's nationwide cancer registry, using a systematic sampling method after stratification by region.
participants5796 patients with thyroid cancer were included (891 in 1999, 2355 in 2005, and 2550 in 2008).
main outcome measuresThe primary outcome was age standardised incidence of thyroid cancer and the changes in incidence between 1999 and 2008 according to the methods used to detect tumours (screen detection versus clinical detection versus unspecified).
resultsBetween 1999 and 2008, the incidence of thyroid cancer increased 6.4-fold (95% confidence interval 4.9-fold to 8.4-fold), from 6.4 (95% confidence interval 6.2 to 6.6) per 100 000 population to 40.7 (40.2 to 41.2) per 100 000 population. Of the increase, 94.4% (34.4 per 100 000 population) were for tumours less than 20 mm, which were detected mainly by screening. 97.1% of the total increase was localised and regional tumours according to the Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results (SEER) summary stage. Where cases were clinically detected, 99.9% of the increased incidences (6.4 per 100 000 population) over the same period were tumours less than 20 mm.
conclusionThe current "epidemic" of thyroid cancer in South Korea is due to an increase in the detection of small tumours, most likely as a result of overdetection. Concerted efforts are needed at a national level to reduce unnecessary thyroid ultrasound examinations in the asymptomatic general population.
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