In recent years, the incidence rate of thyroid cancer worldwide has been increasing year by year. In China, the incidence rate of thyroid cancer in some areas such as Zhejiang Province has become the first female malignant tumor and crosses into the ranks of common malignant tumors, but for thyroid cancer, how much do you know? Thyroid cancer outbreaks are over-diagnosed? Too much iodine supplementation? The rapid increase in the incidence of thyroid cancer has been attributed to the wide application of new imaging techniques, improvement in the sensitivity of examination equipment, development of puncture biopsy techniques, change in surgical methods, change in the classification standards of pathology and histology, and improvement in the accessibility of medical resources. However, in fact, this increase in detection rate due to excessive examination or changes in classification criteria is not an increase in incidence rate in the true sense. Thus, there is a second argument: detection rate is not the only reason, but there are other real “risk factors”, such as our environment, lifestyle and dietary habits. Currently, the causative factors of thyroid cancer are not fully understood, and only two of them have been identified – radioactive radiation and genetic factors. After the leakage of the Chernobyl nuclear power plant, the prevalence of thyroid cancer in the local population has increased almost 30 times compared to the previous one, and the prevalence of thyroid nodules in children has also increased; and long-term clinical experience suggests the possibility of familial thyroid cancer, as more than 50% of medullary carcinoma of the thyroid is due to mutations in the RET gene, and roughly 15% of them are hereditary. As for the effect of diet on thyroid cancer, many people may wonder if there is a link between iodized salt and an increase in thyroid cancer, except that there is no evidence that excessive iodine supplementation increases the likelihood of thyroid cancer. If I have a thyroid nodule, does it have to be cancer? When it comes to thyroid cancer, many people will bring up thyroid nodules. Because relevant data show that the chances of detecting thyroid nodules by palpation and ultrasound in normal people are 3-7% and 20-76% respectively. Although only 5%-15% of them are thyroid cancer, and the majority of them are in early stage, many people are still worried that thyroid nodules will evolve into thyroid cancer. After the diagnosis of benign nodules, patients should not worry too much about the development of thyroid cancer, as long as moderate follow-up observation is sufficient. Even if thyroid cancer is diagnosed, there is no need to panic because thyroid cancer has the highest survival and cure rate among all cancers, with a cure rate of more than 90% in the U.S. and close to 85% in China, and a cure rate of almost 100% if it is detected early in young people. Thyroid cancer cut too much, over-treatment? For this issue, the more controversial is the papillary thyroid microcarcinoma, the World Health Organization will be the largest diameter of the lesion ≤ 1cm of thyroid cancer defined as thyroid microcarcinoma. It has two possibilities, one is that it develops as a malignant tumor that gradually grows from a small size and metastasizes, invading the surrounding nerves, muscles, trachea and esophagus, and these patients must be diagnosed and treated early, and there is no over-diagnosis and over-treatment for them; and the other is that microscopic carcinoma of the thyroid gland is merely a lazy cancer that always accompanies the whole life with the size of ≤1cm, and it doesn’t develop until the patient’s death. However, there is still no method to confirm whether papillary microcarcinoma of the thyroid is a lazy cancer or an aggressive molecule, and it is only known that microcarcinoma has a low mortality rate and good prognosis after regular treatment. Therefore, what happens to microscopic thyroid cancer without treatment? Nowadays, there is a lack of evidence-based basis, and it is hoped that there will be relevant research results soon that can guide clinical work. Therefore, we should treat thyroid cancer rationally, pay attention to it and ignore it at the same time, and believe that through scientific, standardized, early and timely diagnosis and treatment, there is complete hope for clinical cure. Cancer prevention tips: 1) Avoid exposure to radiation; 2) For residents in coastal areas, do not consume too much high iodine food and deliberately supplement iodine; 3) Avoid contact with known carcinogenic substances; 4) Regular physical examination, especially for patients with family history of cancer; 5) Regular follow-up or timely treatment of thyroid nodules; 6) Enhance physical exercise and pay attention to the rhythm of life and healthy living habits, etc. can help keep away from the disease. help to keep away from the disease.