Don’t screen adults for asymptomatic thyroid cancer, USPSTF says

In draft guidance issued this morning, the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force recommended against screening the general adult population for asymptomatic thyroid cancer. The task force, of which the AOA is a partner, will create final guidance after the draft recommendation statement’s public comment period closes on Dec. 26.

In its draft recommendation, the task force noted that among patients who don’t display symptoms of thyroid disease, the harms of screening for thyroid cancer and treatment typically outweigh the benefits. “While there is very little evidence of the benefits of screening for thyroid cancer, there is considerable evidence of the significant harms of treatment,” task force member Karina W. Davidson, PhD, explained in the statement. “And in the places where universal screening has been tried, it hasn’t helped people live longer, healthier lives.”

The statement also noted that overdiagnosis of thyroid cancer appears to be significant. “Population studies from several countries suggests that widespread screening for thyroid cancer is likely to result in overdiagnosis,” noted Kirsten Bibbins-Domingo, PhD, MD, the task force’s chair. “People who are treated for small or slow-growing tumors are exposed to risks from surgery or radiation, but do not receive any benefit because the tumors are unlikely to affect the person’s health during their lifetime.”

To learn more, read the USPSTF’s statement.