New Thyroid Cancer Diagnoses Will Set Record High Total in 2013

ThyCa Urges Neck Checks, Provides Free Awareness Materials and Support Services

A new record total of 60,220 people will be diagnosed with thyroid cancer in 2013 in the United States, reports the nonprofit ThyCa: Thyroid Cancer Survivors’ Association, based on information from the American Cancer Society and the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.

Thyroid cancer continues to be the fastest increasing cancer in both women and men. The numbers of new diagnoses will increase 6.6% from last year.

Three out of four people diagnosed with thyroid cancer are women, and the 2013 total of 60,220 people newly diagnosed will include 45,310 women and 14,910 men. A total of 1,850 deaths from thyroid cancer are expected in 2013, compared with 56,460 people newly diagnosed and 1,780 deaths in 2012.

“When found early, thyroid cancer is usually treatable, so early detection is a key,” notes ThyCa Executive Gary Bloom, a thyroid cancer survivor. “Many thyroid cancer survivors first become aware that they may have cancer when they notice a nodule on their lower neck. Others notice changes in their voice or breathing or swallowing. Most thyroid nodules are benign, but some are cancer.”

“A neck check by a medical professional can be as simple as touching the neck or watching the patient swallow,” adds Bloom. “This can be done very quickly, but those few seconds could make all the difference when it comes to thyroid cancer. Most thyroid cancer is treatable, but some thyroid cancers are aggressive and difficult to treat.”

ThyCa: Thyroid Cancer Survivors’ Association urges everyone to learn about thyroid cancer and ask for a neck check at doctor's appointments. People in all age groups from children through seniors can be diagnosed with thyroid cancer. ThyCa provides free awareness and educational materials to patients, professionals, and the public anywhere in the world, by mail and by download. Materials are available in English, Chinese, French, Japanese, and Spanish. In addition, ThyCa’s free online newsletter subscriptions are available here. Currently, people in 96 countries receive ThyCa services and resources.

Free services and events include support group meetings, online groups, one-to-one support, Webinars, seminars, workshops, and the annual International Thyroid Cancer Survivors’ Conference. The 16th International Thyroid Cancer Survivors’ Conference will take place on September 27-29, 2013, in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.

ThyCa invites everyone to partner with ThyCa in Thyroid Cancer Awareness Month, a worldwide observance that ThyCa sponsors each September, and to become involved in year-round awareness campaigns. Details, tools, and tips are at on our Awareness page.

ThyCa: Thyroid Cancer Survivors' Association, Inc., is a nonprofit 501(c)(3) organization of thyroid cancer survivors, family members, and health care professionals dedicated to education, communication, support services, awareness for early detection, and thyroid cancer research fundraising and research grants. For more information, 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 our web site.

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