In thyroid cancer, several GWASs were conducted in European descent patients8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14 and some single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) associated with thyroid cancer risk were identified, including markers near FOXE1, NKX2-1, DIRC3, NRG1, IMMP2L, RARRES1, SNAPC4, BATF, DHX35, GALNTL4, HTR1B and FOXA2. Among these, only the signals at FOXE1, NKX2-1, DIRC3 and NRG1 were confirmed in different populations, including Japanese, Chinese, Polish and British, by targeted genotyping methods15, 16, 17, 18. This evidence concerns the gene FOXE1 and thyroid gland carcinoma.