Thyroid Cancer Incidence and Trends in United States and Canadian Pediatric, Adolescent, and Young Adults

Document Type

Article

Publication Date

4-24-2025

Publication Title

Cancers (Basel)

Abstract

BACKGROUND/OBJECTIVES: Thyroid cancer incidence has risen in both the United States and Canada, despite differing healthcare systems. While overdiagnosis likely partly explains this trend in adults, its impact on younger populations is unclear. We used the North American Association of Central Cancer Registries, which included 133,808 thyroid cancer cases from the United States and Canada, to assess incidence trends among pediatric, adolescent, and young adult (PAYA) populations.

METHODS: Age-adjusted incidence rates (AAIR) per 100,000 person-years (PY) were compared using rate ratios (RR), stratified by sex, age, race/ethnicity (United States only), and histology. Joinpoint regression estimated annual percentage changes (APC) and average APCs (AAPC) in AAIRs. From 1995 to 2014, thyroid cancer incidence increased by 137%. Significant increases occurred across all age groups (0-14, 15-24, 25-34, 35-39 years). The rate increase was highest for papillary thyroid cancer (AAPC = 5.50, 95% CI 5.06, 5.94), and among individuals aged 35-39 years (AAPC = 5.99, 95% CI 4.84, 7.15). Of racial/ethnic groups in the United States, non-Hispanic White individuals had the highest AAIR (6.22 per 100,000 PY). Mortality has changed minimally.

CONCLUSIONS: Over the past two decades, thyroid cancer incidence has increased in individuals under 40. While evidence suggests that overdiagnosis primarily accounts for this trend, other contributing factors cannot be ruled out. Further research and surveillance of the drivers of increased incidence are critical.

PubMed ID

40361355

Volume

17

Issue

9

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