title: Thyroid cancer characteristics in the population surrounding Three Mile Island.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To determine differences in disease characteristics between the thyroid cancer populations in the area around the Three Mile Island (TMI) nuclear power plant and the rest of the state of Pennsylvania.
  
  
  METHODS
  Retrospective cross-sectional study.
  
  
  METHODS
  Data from the Pennsylvania Cancer Registry from 1985 to 2008 were reviewed and information regarding age at diagnosis, sex, race, residential status, county of residence, thyroid pathology, thyroid surgery, and staging was recorded. Dauphin, Lancaster, and York counties were defined as the TMI area.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Records of 26,357 thyroid cancer patients were reviewed, with 2,611 patients within the TMI area. A higher proportion of papillary thyroid cancer (P < .001) and lower proportion of follicular thyroid cancer (P < .001) were noted in the TMI area population. Thyroid cancer cases from the TMI area were found to be more likely to be diagnosed before the age of 65 years (P < .001), be Pennsylvania born (P < .001), be well differentiated (P < .001), be <10 mm in size (P < .001), and be localized without spread (P < .001). Although the TMI area shows a higher incidence of thyroid cancer as compared to the rest of the state, this was not statistically significant.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The TMI population showed a higher proportion of papillary thyroid cancer and less aggressive pathology and earlier diagnosis compared to the rest of Pennsylvania. No statistically significant difference in thyroid cancer incidence was noted. Overall, the study does not show a clear link with more advanced thyroid cancer and proximity to the TMI nuclear reactors.
authors.affiliation: Department of Surgery, Division of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, Pennsylvania State University-Milton S. Hershey Medical Center, Hershey, Pennsylvania 17033-0850, USA.
authors.forename: Neerav
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Goyal
authors.forename: Fabian
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Camacho
authors.forename: Joseph
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Mangano
authors.forename: David
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Goldenberg
mesh_terms: D018263:Adenocarcinoma, Follicular / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000473:pathology; D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D017677:Age Distribution; D000368:Aged; D002277:Carcinoma; D002291:Carcinoma, Papillary; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D004781:Environmental Exposure / Q000009:adverse effects; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D015994:Incidence; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009381:Neoplasms, Radiation-Induced / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000473:pathology; D055848:Nuclear Power Plants; D010414:Pennsylvania / Q000453:epidemiology; D018788:Radioactive Hazard Release; D012042:Registries; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D018570:Risk Assessment; D017678:Sex Distribution; D000077273:Thyroid Cancer, Papillary; D013964:Thyroid Neoplasms / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000473:pathology*; D055815:Young Adult