Global burden of thyroid cancer from 1990 to 2021: a systematic analysis from the Global Burden of Disease Study 2021

Thyroid cancer (TC) is a significant global healthcare burden. However, the lack of comprehensive data has impeded our understanding of its global impact. We aimed to examine the burden of TC and its trends at the global, regional, and national levels using data stratified by sociodemographic index (SDI), sex, and age. Data on TC, including incidence, mortality, and disability-adjusted life-years (DALYs) from 1990 to 2021, were obtained from the Global Burden of Disease Study 2021. Estimated annual percentage changes (EAPCs) were calculated to assess the incidence rate, mortality, and DALYs trends. The incidence, mortality, and DALYs of TC in 2021 were 249,538 (95% uncertainty interval: 223,290-274,638), 44,799 (39,925-48,541), and 646,741 (599,119-717,357), respectively. The age-standardized incidence rate (ASIR) in 2021 was 2.914 (2.607-3.213), with an EAPC of 1.25 (1.14-1.37) compared to 1990. In 2021, the age-standardized death rate (ASDR) was 0.53 (0.47-0.575) and age-standardized DALYs rate was 14.571 (12.783-16.115). Compared with 1990, the EAPCs of ASDR and age-standardized DALYs rate showed decreasing trends, at - 0.24 (- 0.27 to - 0.21) and - 0.14 (- 0.17 to - 0.11), respectively. Low SDI regions showed the highest ASDR and age-standardized DALYs rate, at 0.642 (0.516-0.799) and 17.976 (14.18-23.06), respectively. Low-middle SDI regions had the highest EAPCs for ASDR and age-standardized DALYs rate, at 0.74 (0.71-0.78) and 0.67 (0.63-0.7), respectively. Females exhibited decreasing trend in ASDR and age-standardized DALYs rate, with EAPCs of - 0.58 (- 0.61 to - 0.55) and - 0.45 (- 0.47 to - 0.42), respectively. In contrast, males showed an increasing trend in ASDR and age-standardized DALYs rate, with EAPCs of 0.41 (0.35-0.46) for both. In high-income regions, most countries with decreased annual changes in deaths experience increasing age-related deaths. Over the past few decades, a notable increase in TC incidence and decreased mortality has been observed globally. Regions characterized by lower SDI, male sex, and an aging population exhibited no improvement in TC mortality. Effective resource allocation, meticulous control of risk factors, and tailored interventions are crucial for addressing these issues.