How Thyroid Hormones Effect HCC

Hepatocellular carcinoma or more commonly known as liver cancer, is a very prominent type of cancer and has been tied to a hypothyroidism as an indicator. However, the role of the hormones produced by the thyroid in hepatocellular carcinoma have not been extensively studied.

The levels of TSH (thyroid stimulating hormone) and fT4 were measured and then compared to the various characteristics of the cancer such as tumor size and CRP which is a way to measure the inflammation in the body. It was found that when the levels of TSH was increased, then tumor size was larger and when the levels of TSH were decreased, the size of the tumors was smaller. The patients who had a higher level of fT4 were more likely to have elevated CRP levels.

While this study was specific to just thyroid hormones and their effects on the characteristics of liver cancer, the implications of this study in the rest of oncology are huge. This tells us that the endocrine system and its products can be used as indicators of certain diseases as well as perhaps being the reason some cases are worse than others. If these hormones can be controlled then the diseases themselves might also be effected and better maintained.

Pinter, M., Haupt, L., Hucke, F., Bota, S., Bucsics, T., Trauner, M., … Sieghart, W. (2017). The impact of thyroid hormones on patients with hepatocellular carcinoma. PLoS ONE, 12(8), e0181878. http://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0181878