Thyroid cancer incidence in China between 2005 and 2009

Abstract

Thyroid cancer (TC) incidence has significantly increased worldwide in recent decades, with large differences between urban and rural areas. However, studies on Chinese TC incidence are limited. Research on the relationship between TC incidence and industry activities is also rare. In this work, data from 31 cancer registry cities in China between 2005 and 2009 were used to reveal the trend of TC incidence, compare the incidence among different cities, and analyze the relationship of TC incidence with socioeconomic factors. During the five-year period, TC incidence in China increased by 49.5 % from 3.21/100,000 to 4.80/100,000, with a female–male ratio of 3 and an urban–rural ratio of 2.5. The increase of TC incidence in more developed cities was significant, but it was not in less developed cities. People living in cities with higher secondary industry output had a higher risk of developing TC. The government and scientific community should pay sufficient attention to the rapidly increasing incidence of TC and to industry activities.