Thyroid cancer. Should we screen for this? There are organizations who look over all the known data and update us, physicians, on what screening tests are beneficial to the population as a whole. The U.S. Preventive Services Task Force (USPSTF) does this.

The USPSTF recently delineated the guidelines for thyroid cancer screening in asymptomatic adults. There is not enough evidence to show that screening for thyroid cancer is helpful in those without symptoms. Thyroid cancer is rare and observational evidence shows no change in mortality over time even after introduction of a mass screening program for thyroid cancer. There are also harms in overdiagnosing possible thyroid cancer. These patients undergo additional tests or biopsies or surgeries which can cause laryngeal nerve damage or vocal cord paralysis.

Want more information? https://www.aafp.org/afp/2018/0315/p406.html