A new study suggests that an increase in the incidence of thyroid cancer is mostly caused by the over diagnosis of one type which is rarely dangerous. Evidence collected from around the world shows the increase mostly involves small papillary cancers which are not usually aggressive or deadly.
The University of Calgary study published in CMAJ Open says that over the past several decades, thyroid cancer incidence rates have been increasing in many high income countries including Canada. This is particularly true among women.
Low mortality rate
Yet the mortality rates have varied only minimally. The survival ratio is 98 per cent for women and 95 per cent for men.
The study concludes that to reduce harms from over treating thyroid cancer, there should be more care taken in diagnosis and the use of diagnostic imaging.
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