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Black Thyroid Disease

Black Thyroid, also called Black Thyroid Syndrome or Black Thyroid Disease, is a rare pigmented change of the thyroid gland seen almost exclusively in people taking minocycline, an antibiotic used to treat a number of bacterial infections such as pneumonia, as well as in the treatment of acne and rheumatoid arthritis. 

It is recognised that when the antibiotic minocycline reacts with thyroid peroxidase it can form a black pigment to the thyroid gland. People with Black Thyroid Disease often also have hypothyroidism, hyperthyroidism, neck swelling, thyroid cancer, a nodule or no symptoms at all, but it is a very rare condition, with just sixty-one cases reported to date. [1]

A fine needle biopsy does not seem to be a reliable way to find and diagnose Black Thyroid Disease [2], but it is often discovered incidentally during surgery on the thyroid gland, surgery to remove the thyroid gland – a thyroidectomy – (often due to thyroid cancer) or during an autopsy. [3]

Despite several case reports of thyroid cancer occurring alongside Black Thyroid Disease, there are no current recommendations that patients taking the antibiotic minocycline undergo additional screening for thyroid cancer.  Further research is needed to establish whether a true link exists between black thyroid disease and thyroid cancer.

Did you know about Black Thyroid Disease?

References:

[1] https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/16514674?dopt=AbstractPlus

[2] https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/16514674?dopt=AbstractPlus

[3] https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4345646/

About Author

Rachel Hill is the internationally acclaimed and multi-award winning thyroid patient advocate, writer, speaker and author behind The Invisible Hypothyroidism. Her thyroid advocacy work includes authoring books, writing articles, public speaking, appearing on radio, TV and podcasts, as well creating as her popular weekly email newsletters. She has also been a board member for both The American College of Thyroidology and WEGO Health, and a council member for Health Union. Rachel has worked with and been featured by UK thyroid charities, The National Academy of Hypothyroidism, The BBC, Yahoo, MSN, ThyroidChange and more. She is well-recognised as a leading thyroid health advocate in the thyroid community and has received multiple awards and recognitions for her work and dedication. She lives in the UK, however, advocates for thyroid patients worldwide. Her bestselling books include "Be Your Own Thyroid Advocate", "You, Me and Hypothyroidism" and the children's book "Thyroid Superhero".