Rate of thyroidectomy by cancer and benign thyroid diseases and its possible relation with a deficit of selenium environmental

Abstract

We have recently reported the lack of environmental selenium and the altered selenium status measured as deficient glutathione peroxidase (GPx) activity in the population affiliated to the Osorno Health Service. These deficits are associated to functional and structural abnormalities of the thyroid gland that correlates with the appearance of benign thyroid pathologies and thyroid cancer. The aim of this investigation is to show the rate of thyroidectomy associated with malign and benign disease in the communities associated to the Osorno Helth Service and warn about their possible link with the poor amount of selenium in the environment and the altered function of the GPx enzyme, previously described.