Is there any correlation between thyroid cancer, microelements, obesity, and insulin resistance?

L.V. Kvitkova, A.S. Khalimova

Kemerovo State Medical University, Kemerovo

In recent years, the prevalence of thyroid nodules has been growing. The role of external factors provoking thyroid carcinogenesis (e.g., exposure of carcinogens and mutagens, oxidative stress, etc.) is established. The role of the abnormalities of microelement content in the human body, obesity, high insulin concentrations, and insulin resistance in inducing oncogenic signal pathways in thyroid cells is currently studied. This paper reviews the role of microelement imbalance, imbalanced nutrition, obesity, and insulin resistance in the development of thyroid cancer. Intake of food supplements containing microelements and elimination of microelement imbalance are assumed to prevent thyroid cancer, given their crucial role in thyroid carcinogenesis. However, these issues are to be clarified. The authors discuss the favorable effect of metformin on thyroid functions in patients with insulin resistance and hypothyroidism since metformin is known to protect from cancer by inhibiting proliferation and carcinogenesis and regulating cellular aging and apoptosis. Metformin provides both direct and indirect anticancer effects. Further studies on these medications are needed to clarify their therapeutic and preventive role in thyroid carcinogenesis.

Keywords: carcinogenesis, obesity, insulin resistance, abnormal microelement content, metformin.

For citation: Kvitkova L.V., Khalimova A.S. Is there any correlation between thyroid cancer, microelements, obesity, and insulin resistance? RMJ. 2022;1:26–30.