Thyroid cancer is the most common endocrine cancer and the seventh most common cancer in women. In the United States, an estimated 43,720 people will be diagnosed with thyroid cancer in 2023. This is about 12,540 men and 31,180 women.

The good news is that thyroid cancer is highly treatable. The five-year survival rate for thyroid cancer is 98%. This means that 98 out of 100 people diagnosed with thyroid cancer will survive for at least five years.

There are several risk factors for thyroid cancer, including:

-Exposure to radiation to the head and neck

-Family history of thyroid cancer

-Certain genetic conditions, such as familial adenomatous polyposis and Cowden syndrome

-Certain medical conditions, such as Hashimoto's thyroiditis and Graves' disease.

Some aspects of prevalence:

-Gender Distribution: Thyroid cancer occurs about three times more often in women than in men. It is the most common cancer in women under the age of 30.  It is more common in people of the white race than in people of the black race. The average age at diagnosis is 51 years old.

-Global Prevalence: Globally, thyroid cancer accounts for approximately 1% of all new cancer diagnoses. The exact incidence rate varies by region and country, with some areas reporting higher rates due to genetic and environmental factors.

-United States: In the United States, thyroid cancer represents approximately 3% of all new cancer cases. The American Cancer Society estimated about 44,280 new cases of thyroid cancer (12,150 in men and 32,130 in women) for the year 2021.

-Type Distribution: Among thyroid cancers, the papillary type is the most common, constituting about 80-85% of all thyroid cancer cases. Follicular, medullary, and anaplastic thyroid cancers are less common.

-Survival Rate: The overall survival rate for thyroid cancer is very good, especially for the differentiated types like papillary and follicular thyroid cancers. The 5-year survival rate for localized thyroid cancer is 99%.