Objective: Thyroid cancer is the most common endocrine malignancy, with a higher incidence in women compared to men. The purpose of the study is to determine reproductive and dietary risk factors for thyroid cancer in women of Western region of Algeria.

Patients and Methods: Fifty-three patients with thyroid cancer were selected as case group and One-hundred and thirty people as control group. Risk factors in both groups were collected and compared. Based on interviews and questionnaire, we investigated the role in thyroid cancer of reproductive history and exogenous hormone use, goitre history, and food items rich in iodine – such as seafood – and of vegetables containing goitrogens – such as cruciferous vegetables. Thyroid diseases, cancer history in first degree relatives, and sociodemographic factors were also investigated.

Results: The most common histological type was the papillary carcinoma (65.4%), with a high density in 30-49 years old group. Most of thyroid cancer population was concerned by a familial history of thyroid cancer (65.4%). Sociodemographic factors show that education level and job were significant factors (p=0.001). Reproductive history (p=0.001), and fish consumption show that thyroid cancer patients had a lower consumption of sea products (p=0.0002) and a higher consumption of goitrogenic vegetables (OR=4.48; 95% CI= [2.21-9.10]; p=0.000].

Conclusions: Statistical analysis provide evidence that number of pregnancies and food diets related to iodine may be related to the high incidence of thyroid carcinoma and contribute as risk factors for women in this region.