Thyroid Cancer Diagnoses Predicted To Set New Record Total in 2016

ThyCa Urges Neck Checks, Provides Free Services, Materials in 8 Languages 

Thyroid cancer continues to increase in incidence, and a record total of 64,300 people are predicted to be diagnosed with thyroid cancer in 2016 in the United States, a 3% increase over 2015, reports the nonprofit ThyCa: Thyroid Cancer Survivors’ Association, Inc. (“ThyCa”) based on information from the American Cancer Society and the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. Deaths from thyroid cancer are expected to total 1,980 in 2016, a 1.5% increase from 2015, 

Thyroid cancer affects people of all ages, from young children to seniors. About half of people diagnosed are under age 50. More than three-quarters are female. The incidence of thyroid cancer has increased rapidly over the past two decades and the number of people diagnosed has more than doubled from 10 years ago.

ThyCa urges everyone to learn about thyroid cancer and ask for a neck check at their routine medical appointments. Signs of a nodule can include voice changes, difficulty breathing or swallowing, or a bulge on the lower neck. 

“Thyroid cancer is usually treatable when found early, and is often difficult to treat if it has spread widely or is one of the rare types or variants,” says ThyCa Executive Gary Bloom, a 20-year thyroid cancer survivor. “A neck check by a medical professional during a routine appointment takes only a few seconds. Most thyroid nodules are benign, not cancer.” 

ThyCa: Thyroid Cancer Survivors' Association, Inc., is a nonprofit 501(c)(3) organization of thyroid cancer survivors, family members, and health care professionals and is advised by thyroid cancer experts. ThyCa provides free educational and awareness materials in 8 languages, videos with experts, support services, events, and a weekly newsletter to patients, professionals, and the public around the world, by mail and by download. ThyCa also sponsors Thyroid Cancer Awareness Month each September, and 2016 marks its 14th year of awarding thyroid cancer research grants, open to researchers worldwide. For information and free materials, e-mail to thyca@thyca.org, call toll-free 1-877-588-7904, write to PO Box 1545, New York, NY 10159-1545, or visit the web site at www.thyca.org. 

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Contact: Cherry Wunderlich, outreach@thyca.org, 301-493-8810, Director of Publications and Outreach, ThyCa: Thyroid Cancer Survivors’ Association, Inc