Thyroid Cancer Rates on the Rise in the U.S. and Canada
The U.S. "Annual Report to the Nation on the Status of Cancer," a comprehensive report that evaluates data from 1975 through 2003, was just released, and the results showed that while the cancer death rate over the last 10 years is down 1.6 percent for men, and about half that for women. Incidence of cancer is also lower in both men and women, except, surprisingly, for one type of cancer: thyroid cancer. Read more...MORE INFORMATION: How to Do a Thyroid Neck Check | What You Need to Know About Thyroid Cancer
Thyroid cancer incidence rates among women have actually increased since 1981, at a rate of 2.2 percent per year from 1981 to 1993. The rate then increased 4.6 percent per year from 1993 to 2000. From 2000 to 2003, the rate increased 9.1 percent per year.
The report was compiled by the North American Association of Central Cancer Registries, the National Cancer Institute, the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, and the American Cancer Society, and is published in the October 15 issue of the medical journal, Cancer.
A new report issued this week in Canada also found that in general, while cancer rates for young men have fallen, and stabilized for women, the rate of thyroid cancer in both young men and women are steadily increasing.
Experts suggest that there may changes in thyroid cancer risk factors that are increasing the rate of thyroid cancer, or, the increased incidence may be due in part to better detection and improved surveillance, especially in women. More research is needed to clarify the cause of the substantial increases.
Source: Howe, Holly L. PhD et. al. "Annual report to the nation on the status of cancer, 1975-2003, featuring cancer among U.S. Hispanic/Latino populations," Cancer (American Cancer Society), 6 Sep 2006
Comments
Is thyroid cancer really on the rise, or is it just being diagnosed better? Since most types do not affect the TSH levels, many doctors may have ignored the signs. Thyroid cancers can metastasise, causing other cancers.
Could it be that thyroid cancer is just being detected and treated earlier, thus preventing other cancers?
Isn’t the problem increased soy consumption? Soy protein in baby formula is especially damaging. It’s about time people realize that soy does a lot more harm than good, especially where the thyroid is concerned.
I am 54 years old. Had surgery at 13(believe it was Grave’s), radiation at 19 and have been on synthroid since. Heard a lot about thyroid problems, but cancer recently has become a common occurence, very close to home. It is on the rise.
I’ve recently had a 3rd ultrasound showing multnodular with goiter. I’ve had Hashimotos for 7 years. 2 FNA’s showed inconclusive. Have large amount of lymph cells due to the disease. Cannot be dianosed malignant or benign without surgical removal. ENT feels pretty certain there is no cancer. Do I have thyroid removed?
Incidence of thyroid cancer, despite troubling recent increases, doesn’t seems much at around 10 per 100,000. Autopsies on old persons showed 6 to 20% had microscopically detectable cancer cells but of no biologic significance in USA and Japan respectively. Mortality is around 6 deaths/millions in USA, or 1 for 17 tumors. Mortality accounted for could, of course,include several cases with very late diagnosis.
look, this most definately appears to be environmental – something we’re being exposed to or using that wasn’t there before. The increases are too huge too fast. It’s like the huge increase in childhood ear infections/tubations being tied to antibiotic use before the age of 2, which people didnt widely engage in years ago. What has changed in our environment or habits?
Soy milk contains on average 25-30mg of potent isoflavones,also known as goitrogens in one 8 ounce glass. The goitrogens found in soy products are known (at these small amounts )to suppress thyroid function and exert other hormonal effects on the body. As the average American consumer has increased her consumption of soy (soy milk sales went from 600 million dollars in 2001 to almost 1 billion dollars in 2005!) The incidence of thyroid related health problems including thyroid cancers has risen dramatically. Make the connection for yourself. The soy industry has too much to loose to do it for you!
Soy does not cause thyroid problems. The time soy may have an impact is if a person is deficient in Iodine, that is the real issue. The soy-bashers are really just agenda-based groups attempting to scare people away from soy foods and back toward the consumption of animal parts and fluids, which are far more damaging to the human body than soy could ever be. That does not mean people should go out and eat soy protein pills though, even healthier foods are not good to consume excessively. Whole soy foods such as tofu, tempeh, soymilk, etc, in moderation are the most beneficial. Other good ideas are rice milk, hemp milk, almond milk, oat milk, all very tasty and nutritious. A nice balanced variety of plant foods is key.
The issue behind thyroid problems on the rise is fluoride in our water and toothpaste and almost all foods, bromide in our foods and chloride in our water and foods. All of these things displace iodine. Most Americans are horribly iodine deficient due to all these things. Soy also counters the effects of iodine, so it does not help the problem. The thyroid also plays a central role in the immune system of the body. So when your thyroid is down, you will get all sorts of mysterious illnesses, resistant/recurrent infections all over your body (bladder/skin such as eczema, all sorts of cancers, you name it) It also affects all the hormones in the body. The solution: find ways to eliminate all sources of fluoride/chloride/bromide in your life. And look for ways to detox from fluoride, which involve immense loading doses of iodine/iodide for months, and sometimes years, depending on the severity of your health and your toxicity. All of this is easy to look up, so research on people!