Thyroid Cancer Prevention

Although it’s not possible to prevent thyroid cancer, the following measures may reduce or eliminate your risk.

• Preventive surgery If you’ve inherited a defective RET gene, you may choose to have your thyroid gland surgically removed, even though the gland appears to be healthy. This preemptive approach eliminates the risk of medullary thyroid cancer but doesn’t reduce the likelihood of adrenal or parathyroid tumors in people with MEN type 2 syndromes.
• Potassium iodide tablets Current government guidelines recommend that people within 10 miles of nuclear power plants be provided with potassium iodide tablets. Taken just before or immediately after exposure to nuclear fallout, potassium iodide protects the thyroid gland from I-131, though not from other radioactive material. Potassium iodide is safe and effective for even very young children when taken in the proper dosage; however, you shouldn’t take potassium iodide if you have multinodular goiter, Graves’ disease, or autoimmune thyroiditis.
• A healthy diet The American Cancer Society recommends eating at least five servings of fruits and vegetables every day. They contain antioxidants, which protect cells from damage that occurs as a result of normal metabolism. It’s been found that emphasizing unsaturated fats (omega-3 fatty acids) may also help protect against cancer, including cancer of the thyroid.

Reference:

Tools for Healthier Lives. Thyroid Cancer. Mayo Clinic Web site. Available at:
http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/thyroid-cancer/DS00492/CSECTION=4. Accessed September 30, 2008.