Study of Childhood thyroid cancer around Chernobyl in Belarus

甲状腺癌是第一个在日本原子弹幸存者中发病率增加的实体肿瘤。在最近围绕切尔诺贝利进行的研究中，据报道，儿童甲状腺癌的发病率正在上升。然而，目前还没有研究能够回答切尔诺贝利事故的精确辐射暴露与甲状腺疾病之间的因果关系。因此，我们开始建立数据收集系统，并从准确和公正的辐射相关的儿童甲状腺筛查研究中获得数据。尽管白俄罗斯处境艰难，但我们在与白俄罗斯卫生部和有关机构建立良好关系的基础上，明确了儿童甲状腺癌的临床和组织学特征。细针穿刺活检和细胞学诊断的建立揭示了切尔诺贝利周围检测到的甲状腺结节的恶性潜力。利用分子生物学方法研究了p53和TSH受体的作用，并有了一些新的发现。然而，需要进一步的研究来阐明辐射诱发甲状腺疾病的直接证据和甲状腺肿瘤发生的分子机制。

Thyroid cancer was the first solid tumor that demonstrated an increased incidence among the Japanese atomic bomb survivors. In recent studies conducted around the Chernobyl, an increasing incidence of childhood thyroid cancer has been reported. However, no studies have yet been able to answer the question on the casual relationship between the precise radiation exposure by the Chernobyl accident and the thyroid diseases. We, therefore, started to establish the data-collecting system and obtain the data from accurate and unbiased radiation-related childhood thyroid screening studies.Despite the difficult situation of Belarus, we have clarified the clinical and histological characteristics of childhood thyroid cancer on a basis of good relationship with the Belarussian Ministry of Hhealth and related Institutes. The establishment of fine-needle aspiration biopsy and cytological diagnosis revealed the malignant potential of thyroid nodules detected around Chernobyl. The role of p53 and TSH receptor has been investigated using a molecular biology method with a couple of new findings. The further study is, however, needed to clarify the direct evidence of radiation-induced thyroid diseases and the molecular mechanism of thyroid tumorigenesis.