Patterns of Thyroid Cancer Mortality and Incidence in Saudi Arabia: A 30-Year Study

Abstract

Thyroid cancer is the most prevalent endocrine cancer among the female population in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA) and the ninth most common in the male population in Saudi Arabia. Over the past years, an increasing incidence of thyroid cancer has been reported in Saudi Arabia. However, the etiology of thyroid cancer is still not clear. Therefore, this study aimed to estimate thyroid cancer incidence and mortality trends in Saudi Arabia from 1990 to 2019. The current study utilized the Global Burden of Disease and the Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation databases to extract prevalence data of thyroid cancer in Saudi Arabia from 1990 to 2019. Moreover, the current project utilizes Global Burden of Disease (GBD) web-based tools to visualize these data. In total, 23,846 cases (17,220 females and 6626 males) were diagnosed with thyroid cancer in Saudi Arabia from 1990 to 2019. The incidence is higher in females than in males. Over these 30 years, women’s incidence steadily increased by 15-fold versus a 22-fold increase in men. Moreover, there were 2056 deaths in total caused by thyroid cancer in KSA. The mortality rate in women steadily increased by threefold in the same period. However, the increase in mortality was higher in males (sixfold). A high percentage of YLLs was observed in males, with around 24.8% ranging from 30 to 34 and 40 to 45 years. Thyroid cancer incidence rates have increased exponentially between 1990 and 2019. The expansion of the incidence of thyroid cancer in Saudi Arabia could be due to the increased development in detection and diagnosis. The current study provided evidence of the need to increase awareness and diagnosis in the male population.

Trends in the Prevalence and Incidence of Thyroid Cancer in Saudi Arabia Over the Last Decade: A Retrospective Cohort Study of 9882 Patients

“…Similarly, the luteinizing hormone (LH) and the follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH) get increased in menopausal females stimulating cancer growth 16 . Recent systematic reviews and meta-analyses have also con rmed an increased incidence rate of thyroid cancer with age in Saudi Arabia's population 17,18 . Age has been established as a critical factor in thyroid cancer patients' survivability [19][20][21][22] .…”

“…Previous studies of age-adjusted thyroid cancer incidence rates and prevalence in Saudi Arabia are limited by the lack of regional variation data 17 . The age-standardized regional study revealed increased incidence and prevalence rates of thyroid cancer in Riyadh, Hail, Najran, Eastern, Jouf, and Tabuk, according to an analysis of the data in (Fig.…”

Weighty Matters: The Obesity–Thyroid Nodule Connection Unveiling the Impact of Obesity on Thyroid Cancer Risk

“…In Saudi Arabia, TC ranks as the most frequent endocrine cancer detected in women and the ninth most prevalent malignancy among men [ 10 , 11 ]. According to a recent study, the risk of TC in Saudi Arabia increased in both men and women between 1990 and 2019, amounting to 22- and 15-fold increases, respectively [ 11 ].…”

Metastatic papillary thyroid carcinoma in pleural effusion: a case report and review of the literature

“…Additionally, the death rate steadily increased by threefold in women and interestingly by sixfold in men in the same period. The author attributed the increase in the incidence rate to the advancement in the tools of detection and diagnosis [ 11 ]. Indeed; the most detected subtypes of TC were papillary adenocarcinomas, mixed papillary and follicular carcinoma, papillary microcarcinoma, papillary columnar cell carcinoma, and papillary carcinoma encapsulated subtypes, respectively [ 12 ].…”