Cancer in Canada fact sheet series #1 - thyroid cancer in Canada.

Abstract

The incidence of thyroid cancer is increasing more rapidly than that of any other cancer in Canada, while mortality has remained low and stable. In the last 10 years the number of thyroid cancer cases has increased 144% from 1709 to 4172 cases per year. Thyroid cancer is three times more common in females than males. 40% of thyroid cancers are diagnosed in Canadians under 45 years of age. Some of the apparent increase in incidence is likely due to improved and more widely available diagnostic techniques.