Proliferative Activity of Human Thyroid Cells in Various Age Groups and Its Correlation with the Risk of Thyroid Cancer after Radiation Exposure

Abstract

Our findings of a general decrease in proliferative activity of thyroid cells with age may explain, at least in part, the higher risks of radiation-related thyroid cancer in children compared with adults. However, the variation in the rate of cell proliferation is unlikely to be responsible entirely for this phenomenon and other factors may also be involved.