Lancet Diabetes Endocrinol: Trends in the incidence of thyroid cancer in children/adolescents worldwide

Over the past three decades, the incidence of thyroid cancer in adults in several countries has increased considerably, mainly due to overdiagnosis.
in view of the increase in the incidence of thyroid cancer in adults, this study aims to assess global patterns and trends in morbidity and mortality from thyroid cancer in children and adolescents.
Researchers screened data from the International Child Cancer Volume 3 Research Database, the World Health Organization Mortality Database and the Cancer Morbidity Database on five continents, conducted population-based studies on the incidence and mortality of thyroid cancer in children and adolescents aged 0-19 years, and analysed time-varying trends in morbidity, including absolute changes in morbidity, and the correlation between childhood and adolescent morbidity and adult morbidity.
2008-2012, the standardized incidence of thyroid cancer in children and adolescents aged 0-19 ranged from 0.4 cases/1 million years (Uganda and Kenya) to 13.4 cases/1 million years (Belarus).
incidence is mainly caused by the nipple thyroid cancer subsype.
girls, both boys and girls, increase with age;
between 1998-2002 and 2008-2012, the incidence rate increased rapidly in almost all countries.
incidence of children and adolescents has a strong correlation with the incidence of adult incidence (r-lt;0.8), as is the time-change in morbidity (r>0.6).
0.1 per 10 million people per year in every country under the age of 20 die from thyroid cancer.
Overall, the incidence patterns of thyroid cancer in children and adolescents are consistent with among adults, suggesting that overdiagnosis may also play an important role, and that overdiagnosis, in turn, can lead to overtreatment, lifelong medical treatment and side effects, which can have a negative impact on quality of life.