Return to Article DetailsThe Contents of Calcium, Chlorine, Iodine, Potassium, Magnesium, Manganese, and Sodium in Thyroid Malignant Nodules and Thyroid Tissue Adjacent to Nodules

Abstract

Objective:sandBackgrounds:Thyroidmalignantnodules(TMNs)arethemostcommonendocrinecancerandthefifthmostfrequentlyoccurringtypeofmalignancies.TheetiologyandpathogenesisofTMNsmustbeconsideredasmultifactorial.Thepresentstudywasperformedtoclarifytheroleofsomechemicalelements(ChEs)intheetiologyofthesethyroiddisorders.

Methods and patients:Thyroidtissuelevelsofcalcium(Ca),chlorine(Cl),iodine(I),potassium(K),magnesium(Mg),manganese(Mn),andsodium(Na)wereprospectivelyevaluatedinmalignanttumorandtissueadjacenttotumorof41patientswithTMNs.Measurementswereperformedusingnon-destructiveinstrumentalneutronactivationanalysiswithhighresolutionspectrometryofshort-livedradionuclides.Tissuesamplesweredividedintotwoportions.OnewasusedformorphologicalstudywhiletheotherwasintendedforChEsanalysis.

Result:softhestudywereadditionallycomparedwithpreviouslyob-taineddataforthesameChEsin“normal”thyroidtissue.Results:ItwasobservedthatinmalignanttissuethemassfractionofCl,K,Mg,andNawereapproximately2.3,1.6,1.6,and1.3times,respectively,higherwhereasmassfractionofIwas25.6timeslowerthaninthenormalthyroid.InageneralsenseK,Mg,Mn,andNacontentsfoundinthe“normal”and“adjacent”groupsofthyroidtissuesampleswereverysimilar.However,inthe“adjacent”groupmeanmassfractionsofClandIwere1.57and1.73times,respectively,higher,whilemeanvalueofCacontentalmost2timeslowerthaninthe“normal”group.InmalignanttumorCa,Cl,andKcontentswereapproximately2.8,1.4,and1.7times,respectively,higher,whileIcontent43.5timeslowerthanin“adjacent”groupoftissuesamples.were very similar. However, in the “adjacent” group mean mass fractions of Cl and I were 1.57 and 1.73 times, respectively, higher, while mean value of Ca content almost 2 times lower than in the “normal” group. In malignant tumor Ca, Cl, and K contents were approximately 2.8, 1.4, and 1.7 times, respectively, higher, while I content 43.5 times lower than in “adjacent” group of tissue samples.

Conclusions: From results obtained, it was possible to conclude that the common characteristics of TMNs in comparison with “normal” thyroid and visually “intact” thyroid tissue adjacent to malignant tumors were elevated levels of Cl and K, as well as drastically reduced level of I. It was supposed that elevated levels of Cl and K, as well as drastically reduced level of I in cancerous tissue could possibly be explored for differential diagnosis of benign and malignant thyroid nodules