The mechanism underlying proliferation-inhibitory and apoptosis-inducing effects of curcumin on papillary thyroid cancer cells

► Treatment with curcumin could inhibit K1 cell proliferation and promote apoptosis. ► Pretreatment with curcumin could induce a rapid ROS generation within 5 min. ► Curcumin induced cell apoptosis-associated with MMP and Ca2+ concentration. ► Our results indicated curcumin was able to fight against papillary thyroid cancer.