Aims: Estimation of prevalence of autoimmune thyroid disorders in Greek bre
ast cancer patients (prospective study).
Methods: The prevalence of autoimmune thyroiditis was estimated in 310 Gree
k breast cancer patients, in 100 women with benign breast disease and in 19
0 women without any breast disease, by submitting them to clinical examinat
ion, ultrasound thyroid evaluation, serum thyroid antibody determination an
d fine needle aspiration (FNA) of the thyroid gland.
Results: Autoimmune thyroiditis was found in 136/310 (43.9%) breast cancer
women: 95 were diagnosed by positive autoantibodies, 19 had positive FNA fi
ndings and 22 had both positive autoantibodies and positive FNA findings. I
n 117 cases, thyroid autoantibodies were positive (37.7% whereas the contro
l groups had respective rates of 19% and 18.4% autoantibody positivity).
Conclusions: There is evidence of high incidence of autoimmune thyroiditis
in Greek breast cancer patients, increasing in relation to cancer stage. (C
) 2001 Harcourt Publishers Ltd.