Introduction
Summary
Almost 1 million people were diagnosed with thyroid cancer and almost 50 000 people died from the disease in 2024. It was the seventh most commonly occurring cancer that year. About three quarters of all new cases were diagnosed in women, and thyroid cancer is one of the most commonly diagnosed cancer types among young women (aged < 54 years). Overdiagnosis accounts for a large proportion of thyroid cancer diagnoses, up to 90% in some countries. Detecting cancers that would never have caused harm can lead to unnecessary treatment and lifelong consequences for patients. Correctly identifying cases that can threaten health and require treatment is a major challenge in tackling the global burden of thyroid cancer.