title: Goiter frequency is more strongly associated with gastric adenocarcinoma than urine iodine level.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  We designed our study to evaluate the hypothesis that gastric cancer is correlated with iodine deficiency or thyroid dysfunction.
  
  
  METHODS
  We investigated the total body iodine reserve, thyroid function status and autoimmune disorder in 40 recently diagnosed gastric adenocarcinoma cases versus 80 healthy controls. The participants came from a region with high gastric cancer rate but sufficient iodine supply due to salt iodination. The investigation included urine iodine level, thyroid gland clinical and ultrasonographic examination, and thyroid function tests.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Goiter was detected more frequently in the case group (P=0.001); such a finding, however, was not true for lower than normal urine iodine levels. The free T3 mean level was significantly lower in the case group compared to the control group (P=0.005).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The higher prevalence of goiter rather than low levels of urinary iodine in gastric adenocarcinoma cases suggests that goiter, perhaps due to protracted but currently adjusted iodine deficiency, is more likely to be associated with gastric adenocarcinoma compared to the existing iodine deficiency itself.
authors.affiliation: Endocrinology and Metabolism Research Center, Endocrinology and Metabolism Clinical Sciences Institute, Endocrinology and Metabolism Research Institute, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran.
authors.forename: Mohammad
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Tabaeizadeh
authors.forename: Vahid
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Haghpanah
authors.forename: Abbasali
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Keshtkar
authors.forename: Shahryar
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Semnani
authors.forename: Gholamreza
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Roshandel
authors.forename: Khadijeh
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Adabi
authors.forename: Ramin
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Heshmat
authors.forename: Davood
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Rohani
authors.forename: Alireza
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Kia
authors.forename: Ehsan
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Hatami
authors.forename: Ataollah
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Jahangirrad
authors.forename: Ramin
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Nabizadeh
authors.forename: Bagher
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Larijani
keywords: Autoimmune diseases; Goiter; Iodine; Stomach neoplasms; Thyroid function tests