The prevalence of thyroid tumors in patients with acromegaly
Aim. To study the incidence of thyroid tumors in patients with acromegaly in comparison with the control group (1:2,5). Materials and methods. The study included 125 patients with acromegaly: 85 women and 40 men. Mean age 51,31 [23;78]. The control group included of 324 people: 228 women and 96 men. Mean age group 49 [24;80]. All were performed ultrasound. If there is evidence in both groups performed FNA, followed by cytological examination. In patients with acromegaly were investigated levels of growth hormone and IGF-1, TSH and FT4. In the control group of TSH and FT4. Results. Thyroid diseases are comparable between the study groups by sex: nodular goiter frequently diagnosed in females, and mixed and diffuse goiters in males. Thyroid cancer has also been reported more often in men in both groups. However, it should be noted that the incidence of thyroid cancer in patients with acromegaly exceeded the figures of the control group 3,05 times, namely: nodular goiter 1.69 times (<i>р</i> = 0.05), diffuse goiter 2.32 times (<i>р</i> = 0.01), mixed goiter 5,96 times (<i>р</i> < 0.01). The incidence of thyroid cancer has exceeded the values of the control group 6,05 times. These results gave an odds ratio of 6.68 (95%CI 2.5 to 17.82), <i>р</i> = 0.0001. Dependencies between the level of IGF-1 (<i>p</i> = 0.84), disease duration (<i>p</i> = 0.69), age (<i>p</i> = 0.86) and the risk of developing cancer have been identified. Conclusion. The results indicate an increased risk of thyroid disease in patients with acromegaly in general and cancer in particular, that necessitates more frequent monitoring thyroid condition in patients with acromegaly, especially in males, independent of the level of IGF-1, the duration of the disease and age.