The Claim
Between 1999 and 2008, screen-detected thyroid cancers accounted for 66.1% of the total increase in thyroid cancer incidence, and 94.4% of these screen-detected cases involved tumors smaller than 20 mm, indicating that the widespread use of thyroid ultrasound screening is strongly associated with the detection of small, likely indolent tumors.
What the research says
Supports is higher
Support is ahead, but a single strong opposing study can change this.
These are independent scores, not a percentage. Higher-grade studies count more, so a single strong opposing study can outweigh several weaker ones.
More people were diagnosed with thyroid cancer between 1999 and 2008, and most of that increase came from ultrasounds finding tiny, harmless lumps in the thyroid—so it’s not that more people got sick, but that we’re just finding tiny things we wouldn’t have noticed before.
See the scientific wording
Screen-detected thyroid cancers accounted for 66.1% of the total increase in thyroid cancer incidence between 1999 and 2008, and 94.4% of these screen-detected cases were tumors smaller than 20 mm, suggesting widespread use of thyroid ultrasound screening is strongly associated with the detection of small, likely indolent tumors.
What the research says
1 studyThe study found that most of the rise in thyroid cancer diagnoses was because doctors started using ultrasounds to check healthy people’s necks, and they found lots of tiny, harmless tumors that never would’ve caused problems — exactly what the claim says.
Score breakdown, mechanism chain, raw evidence, ideal studies needed & 1 supporting studies
Not medical advice. For informational purposes only. Always consult a qualified healthcare professional before making health decisions.