The epidemiological landscape of thyroid cancer worldwide: GLOBOCAN estimates for incidence and mortality rates in 2020

In a new study, scientists from the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) and partners assess the global distribution of thyroid cancer incidence and mortality rates in 2020, based on data from the IARC Global Cancer Observatory. The study was published in The Lancet Diabetes & Endocrinology.

The authors report a large geographical variability in thyroid cancer incidence rates. High incidence rates were observed mainly in high-income countries but also in some low-income countries and some middle-income countries. The geographical heterogeneity in incidence rates was found to be larger for women than for men, and incidence rates for women were about 3 times those for men. In contrast, mortality rates were found to be relatively similar across different settings, and age-standardized mortality rates were below 1 per 100 000 in most countries for both men and women.

The researchers concluded that the current epidemiological landscape of thyroid cancer is strongly suggestive of a large effect of overdiagnosis in many countries and settings worldwide. This confirms the relevance of thyroid cancer overdiagnosis as a global public health problem.

The lead author of the study, Dr Margherita Pizzato, will comment on the findings in an upcoming podcast to accompany the article. The podcast is expected to be made available by the journal on 16 March 2022.

Pizzato M, Li M, Vignat J, Laversanne M, Singh D, La Vecchia C, Vaccarella S.
The epidemiological landscape of thyroid cancer worldwide: GLOBOCAN estimates for incidence and mortality rates in 2020
Lancet Diabetes Endocrinol, Published online 7 March 2022;
https://doi.org/10.1016/S2213-8587(22)00035-3

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