Young and middled-aged women in China are the most vulnerable to papillary thyroid carcinoma, the most common form of thyroid cancer. Three out of every four patients are female, according to a national academic conference on thyroid cancer in Tianjin.

However, there is not enough evidence for a direct link between thyroid cancer and iodized salt, which has been used nationwide since 1993 in an attempt to prevent iodine deficiency (IDD) in China. The iodized salt panic is a distraction, according to the experts.

Cancer is a growing threat to health in China due to unhealthy lifestyles and a deteriorating environment. China reports 3.5 million new cases of cancer each year.