Thyroid cancer cases continue to rise

The rate of Americans diagnosed with thyroid cancer has more than tripled over the past four decades, and continues to rise more than 3 percent a year, new research shows.
The rise can't be completely attributed to better detection or "overdiagnosis," said a team led by Cari Kitahara of the U.S. National Cancer Institute.
The findings "are consistent with a true increase in the occurrence of thyroid cancer in the United States," the researchers reported March 31 in the Journal of the American Medical Association.
The thyroid is a butterfly-shaped organ at the base of the throat. While the vast majority of thyroid cancers aren't life-threatening, the death rate for a particularly aggressive form of the disease -- advanced papillary thyroid cancer -- has increased, the study found.
One thyroid expert said the study helps clarify recent trends.
"Historically, thyroid cancer incidence has increased from overdiagnosis, due to more readily available technology such as sonograms and fine needle biopsy," explained Dr. Robert Courgi. But, he added, "the increase found in this study is greater than we expected."
Courgi is an endocrinologist at Northwell Health's Southside Hospital in Bay Shore, N.Y. He wasn't involved in the study.
According to the American Cancer Society, close to 57,000 new cases of thyroid cancer will be diagnosed in the United States in 2017. The disease strikes women more often than men -- more than 42,000 of those new diagnoses are expected to occur in females.
Luckily, thyroid cancer is one of the most curable tumor types. Still, the cancer society notes it will kill more than 2,000 Americans this year.
Numerous studies have suggested that thyroid cancer incidence is rising, but there's been debate on whether that's simply an artifact of improved detection methods.
To help settle the issue, Kitahara's team used detailed data from a major U.S. cancer database, looking at trends in thyroid cancer incidence and death from 1974 to 2013. The researchers found that "thyroid cancer incidence increased, on average, 3.6 percent per year during 1974-2013," with rates for papillary thyroid tumors increasing at an even faster rate (4.4 percent annually).
    HealthDay

Thyroid cancer cases continue to rise

The rate of Americans diagnosed with thyroid cancer has more than tripled over the past four decades, and continues to rise more than 3 percent a year, new research shows. The rise cant be completely attributed to better detection or overdiagnosis, said a team led by Cari Kitahara of the U.S. National Cancer Institute. The findings are consistent with a true increase in the occurrence of thyroid cancer in the United States, the researchers reported March 31 in the Journal of the American Medical Association. The thyroid is a butterfly-shaped organ at the base of the throat. While the vast majority of thyroid cancers arent life-threatening, the death rate for a particularly aggressive form of the disease -- advanced papillary thyroid cancer -- has increased, the study found. One thyroid expert said the study helps clarify recent trends. Historically, thyroid cancer incidence has increased from overdiagnosis, due to more readily available technology such as sonograms and fine needle biopsy, explained Dr. Robert Courgi. But, he added, the increase found in this study is greater than we expected. Courgi is an endocrinologist at Northwell Healths Southside Hospital in Bay Shore, N.Y. He wasnt involved in the study. According to the American Cancer Society, close to 57,000 new cases of thyroid cancer will be diagnosed in the United States in 2017. The disease strikes women more often than men -- more than 42,000 of those new diagnoses are expected to occur in females. Luckily, thyroid cancer is one of the most curable tumor types. Still, the cancer society notes it will kill more than 2,000 Americans this year. Numerous studies have suggested that thyroid cancer incidence is rising, but theres been debate on whether thats simply an artifact of improved detection methods. To help settle the issue, Kitaharas team used detailed data from a major U.S. cancer database, looking at trends in thyroid cancer incidence and death from 1974 to 2013. The researchers found that thyroid cancer incidence increased, on average, 3.6 percent per year during 1974-2013, with rates for papillary thyroid tumors increasing at an even faster rate (4.4 percent annually). HealthDay