Descriptive Epidemiological Analysis of Thyroid Cancer in the Saudi Population (2001-2013)

OBJECTIVE: Thyroid cancer has one of the highest frequency rates among thyroid diseases, and ranks second for neoplasia in the Saudi female population. This paper concerns a comprehensive evaluation of increasing incidence trends and geographical distribution of different patterns of thyroid cancer among the Saudi Arabian population using the latest Saudi Cancer Registry (SCR) reports. METHODS: The analysis included a total of 7,670 thyroid cancer cases (1604 male and 6066 female) which were recorded in the SCR files for the period between January 2001 and December 2013. RESULTS: The overall incidence of thyroid cancer increased during the period from 2001 to 2013. The most common age group affected was 35–39 years in both sexes. Najran recorded the highest differences in thyroid cancer rates with increase between 2001 and 2013. Controversially, other regions like Tabuk and the Northern provinces recorded obvious decreases in rates of thyroid cancer among females. CONCLUSION: Thyroid cancer is the second most common cancer among females in Saudi Arabia with incidence peaks in both genders aged 35–39 years and increase overtall in the country from 2001 to 2013. The specific causes of this upward trend are unknown. Further clinical and epidemiological research must be conducted for clarification, with an emphasis of causes of the variation in thyroid cancer prevalence between regions in Saudi Arabia.