We wanted to highlight this article because the link between certain forms of cancer and excess weight is becoming every clearer. Indeed, the study referenced in this article has made the connection – using their own methodology – between obesity and the increased virulence of papillary thyroid cancer. Ultimately, beyond the fact that obesity may indeed cause more aggressive thyroid cancers, it also complicates the surgery needed to treat it. This and similar research should be followed closely, especially in those patients who are at a higher risk of papillary thyroid cancer.
More on this topic at Medical News Today: More Aggressive Papillary Thyroid Cancer Found In Obese Patients
Our take: Dr. Duncan is one of the foremost thyroid and parathyroid surgeons in the United States and has been at the leading edge of several surgical techniques including the no neck scar thyroid removal. This, combined with his extensive experience in bariatrics, has given him first-hand experience with how obesity and excess weight affects other parts of the body. Ultimately, the findings of this study are not terribly surprising. Obesity takes a toll on the entire body and developing a definitive link between obesity and certain forms of cancer is an important next step.
