Thyroid gland and radiation (fundamental and applied aspects): 20Â years after the Chernobyl accident

In the present paper are generalized data on the increase of thyroid cancer incidence in children and adolescents affected after the Chernobyl accident for the period 1986-2004. Beginning in 1990, a significant rise in the number of thyroid cancer cases and incidence was noted in the cohort aged 0-18 years at the time of the accident, especially among children aged 0-14 years. Patients' distribution by age at the time of the accident points out that the most significant increase in the number of thyroid cancer patients occurred at the expense of children who were aged up to 4 years in 1986. This is confirmed by the data concerning a steady increase just among children aged 0-4 years at the time of the accident, of additional thyroid cancer incidence with increasing thyroid exposure dose. The most pronounced increase has been reported for the highest average thyroid exposure dose of 1 Gy and more. The principles of early diagnosis of thyroid carcinoma lie in an objective assessment of oncological danger from all focal lesions of the thyroid, which were detected by ultrasound investigation. FNA of these tumors with cytology study of cell material allows improvement in the accuracy of preoperative diagnosis of thyroid cancer. The method of choice in the treatment of thyroid cancer is thyroidectomy followed by therapy with radioactive iodine and suppressive hormone therapy.