Interaction of Gut Microbiota with Endocrine Homeostasis and Thyroid Cancer

Abstract

The gut microbiota plays a crucial role in healthy individuals as well as in patients with thyroid diseases, including thyroid cancer. Although the prognosis of differentiated thyroid cancer is predictable, that of some poorly differentiated, medullary, and anaplastic thyroid cancers remains unpromising. As the interaction between the gut microbiota and thyroid cancer has been gradually revealed in recent years, the thyroid gland, a crucial endocrine organ, is shown to have a complex connection with the body's metabolism and is involved in inflammation, autoimmunity, or cancer progression. Dysbiosis of the gut microbiota and its metabolites can influence changes in hormone levels and susceptibility to thyroid cancer through multiple pathways. In this review, we focus on the interactions of the gut microbiota with thyroid function diseases and thyroid cancer. In addition, we also discuss some potential new strategies for the prevention and treatment of thyroid disease and thyroid cancer. Our aim is to provide some possible clinical applications of gut microbiota markers for early diagnosis, treatment, and postoperative management of thyroid cancer. These findings were used to establish a better multi-disciplinary treatment and prevention management strategy and to individualize the treatment of patients in relation to their gut microbiota composition and pathological characteristics.

Keywords: Graves’ disease; Hashimoto’s thyroiditis; gut microbiota; microbial metabolites; thyroid cancer.

Figure 1

Gut–endocrine–thyroid cancer axis. Alterations of gut microbiota led to NIS inhibition, resulting in decreased thyroid iodine uptake and immune system, resulting in thyroid dysfunction, thyroid autoimmune diseases and thyroid cancer. Similarly, these diseases cause further changes in the gut microbiota.

Figure 2

Overview of the influence of the gut microbiota on the thyroid cancers or thyroid diseases.