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The American Cancer Society's most recent estimates for
thyroid cancer in the United States are for 2009:
- about 37,200 new cases of thyroid cancer (27,200 in women,
and 10,000 in men
- 1,630 deaths (940 women and 690 men).
In general, this is one of the least deadly cancers. The
5-year survival rate (the percentage of people living at least 5 years
after being diagnosed) for all cases is about 97%. (Statistics on
survival rates by type and stage of thyroid cancer are discussed in the
section, "How
is thyroid cancer staged?")
Thyroid cancer is different from many other adult cancers in
that it mainly affects younger people. Nearly 2 of 3 cases are found in
people between the ages of 20 and 55.
The chance of being diagnosed with thyroid cancer has risen
slightly in recent years. Most of this is thought to be the result of
the increased use of thyroid ultrasound, which detects small thyroid
nodules that might not otherwise have been found. Most of the increase
is from finding more small papillary cancers, which are rarely fatal.
The death rate from thyroid cancer has been fairly stable for many
years.
Last Medical Review: 04/28/2009
Last Revised: 05/14/2009
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