Occupational daily walking steps have inverse relationship with papillary thyroid cancer risk and progression: a retrospective analysis

Objectives Investigate the impact of daily occupational walking steps on the progression of papillary thyroid cancer (PTC), a topic hitherto underresearched. Material and Methods The authors analyzed the data from 800 individuals with PTC across stages 0–IV. Participants were evenly divided into 2 distinct occupational groups: office workers and construction workers (N = 400 each). Data included comprehensive records of daily walking steps, demographic information, and clinical indicators. Pearson’s correlation coefficients or analysis of variance (ANOVA) were employed to assess the linkage between daily walking steps and PTC risk and stage, as well as associated biochemical markers. Results The analysis revealed a significant inverse relationship between daily walking steps and PTC risk. A higher frequency of daily steps was associated with reduced chances of PTC onset and a lower diagnostic stage of the disease. This protective effect of physical activity was particularly pronounced in the construction worker cohort. Subsequent evaluations showed that construction workers who consistently logged higher daily steps had markedly lower levels of thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH), free triiodothyronine, free thyroxine, thyroid peroxidase antibody, thyroglobulin antibody, and thyroglobulin (Tg). Notably, daily walking steps exhibited a strong inverse correlation with body mass index (BMI), age, PTC volumes, and levels of TSH and Tg across both occupational groups (ρ < –0.37). The increase in daily steps was associated with the reduction in PTC stages (p < 0.001). Conclusions The research underscores the potential benefits of increased daily walking steps, suggesting that they may play a protective role in reducing PTC risk and moderating its progression.