NPR

Don't Screen For Thyroid Cancer, Task Force Says

A federal task force says the risks of screening outweigh benefits. Many thyroid growths never develop into dangerous cancers, and overdiagnosis can lead people to have unnecessary surgery.
The U.S. Preventive Services Task Force says the risks of screening for thyroid cancer in people without symptoms outweigh the benefits.

If you hear rock star Rod Stewart's husky voice in a radio spot imploring you to get your thyroid checked for cancer, don't be seduced.

An industry-backed foundation has been putting out that message, with Stewart as a celebrity spokesman, but it's not based on sound science. No major medical organization recommends mass screening for thyroid cancer.

Now, the U.S. to the mix. The federal oversight group puts thyroid cancer screening in its don't-do-it category, in recommendations published in the on Tuesday.

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