Biomaterial Database

Human 2,3,7,8-tetrachlorodibenzo-p-dioxin exposure and thyroid cancer risk. 2023

Maaike van Gerwen, and Vikram Vasan, and Eric Genden, and Shira R Saul

Department of Otolaryngology - Head and Neck Surgery, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, USA; Institute for Translational Epidemiology, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, USA. Electronic address: maaike.vangerwen@mountsinai.org.

Thyroid cancer incidence has been steadily rising since the 1970s and exposure to environmental pollutants, including persistent organic pollutants such as 2,3,7,8-tetrachlorodibenzo-p-dioxin (TCDD) and other dioxins, has emerged as a potential explanation for this increase. This study aimed to summarize available human studies on the association between TCDD exposure and thyroid cancer. A systematic review of the literature was performed searching the National Library of Medicine and National Institutes of Health PubMed, Embase, and Scopus databases, through January 2022, using the following keywords: "thyroid", "2,3,7,8-tetrachlorodibenzo-p-dioxin", "TCDD", "dioxin", and "Agent Orange". Six studies were included in this review. Three studies evaluated the acute exposure to the chemical factory accident in Seveso, Italy, and found a non-significant increase in the risk of thyroid cancer. Two studies investigating Agent Orange exposure among United States Vietnam War veterans found a significant risk of thyroid cancer following exposure. No association was found in one study evaluating TCDD exposure through herbicides. The current study highlights the limited information on the potential association between TCDD exposure and thyroid cancer and thus the need for future human studies, especially considering the persistent human exposure to dioxins in the environment.

UI	MeSH Term	Description	Entries
D004147	Dioxins	A family of compounds that contain the 1,4-dioxin structure. Many specific dioxin derivatives are listed as CARCINOGENS; TERATOGENS; or MUTAGENS.	Dioxin
D004781	Environmental Exposure	The exposure to potentially harmful chemical, physical, or biological agents in the environment or to environmental factors that may include ionizing radiation, pathogenic organisms, or toxic chemicals.	Exposure, Environmental,Environmental Exposures,Exposures, Environmental
D006540	Herbicides	Pesticides used to destroy unwanted vegetation, especially various types of weeds, grasses (POACEAE), and woody plants. Some plants develop HERBICIDE RESISTANCE.	Algaecide,Algicide,Herbicide,Algaecides,Algicides
D006801	Humans	Members of the species Homo sapiens.	Homo sapiens,Man (Taxonomy),Human,Man, Modern,Modern Man
D000072317	Polychlorinated Dibenzodioxins	Dibenzodioxin derivatives that contain multiple chloride atoms bound to the benzene ring structures.	TCDD,Tetrachlorodibenzodioxin,2,3,7,8-Tetrachlorodibenzo-p-dioxin,Chlorinated Dibenzo-p-dioxins,Dibenzo(b,e)(1,4)dioxin, 2,3,7,8-tetrachloro-,PCDD,Polychlorinated Dibenzo-p-dioxins,Polychlorinated Dibenzodioxin,Polychlorodibenzo-4-dioxin,Polychlorodibenzo-p-dioxin,Tetrachlorodibenzo-p-dioxin,Chlorinated Dibenzo p dioxins,Dibenzo-p-dioxins, Chlorinated,Dibenzo-p-dioxins, Polychlorinated,Dibenzodioxin, Polychlorinated,Dibenzodioxins, Polychlorinated,Polychlorinated Dibenzo p dioxins,Polychlorodibenzo 4 dioxin,Polychlorodibenzo p dioxin,Tetrachlorodibenzo p dioxin
D000075182	Agent Orange	A herbicide that contains equal parts of 2,4-dichlorophenoxyacetic acid (2,4-D) and 2,4,5-trichlorophenoxyacetic acid (2,4,5-T), as well as traces of the contaminant 2,3,7,8-tetrachlorodibenzo-p-dioxin.	(2,4-dichlorophenoxy)acetic acid, butyl ester, mixt. with butyl (2,4,5-trichlorophenoxy)acetate,2,4-D - 2,4,5-T mixture,Orange, Agent
D013964	Thyroid Neoplasms	Tumors or cancer of the THYROID GLAND.	Cancer of Thyroid,Thyroid Cancer,Cancer of the Thyroid,Neoplasms, Thyroid,Thyroid Adenoma,Thyroid Carcinoma,Adenoma, Thyroid,Adenomas, Thyroid,Cancer, Thyroid,Cancers, Thyroid,Carcinoma, Thyroid,Carcinomas, Thyroid,Neoplasm, Thyroid,Thyroid Adenomas,Thyroid Cancers,Thyroid Carcinomas,Thyroid Neoplasm
D014481	United States	A country in NORTH AMERICA between CANADA and MEXICO.