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Thyroid Cancer · Understanding the disease

Where in the world is thyroid cancer most common?

Reviewed: 8 November 2026 By: Xiangpeng Liu, MD Topic: Thyroid Cancer Answer length: short, citable
Quick answer

Thyroid Cancer is not evenly distributed: the highest-burden regions are South Korea, China and United States & Canada. In 2022 there were about 820,000 new thyroid cancer cases worldwide (GLOBOCAN 2022 estimate) worldwide (ASR 9.1 per 100,000 overall (women 13.6, men 4.6); mortality ASR only 0.4), with marked country-to-country variation driven by local exposures such as tobacco, areca nut, oncogenic viruses, ultraviolet radiation and occupational carcinogens.

In detail

The regional pattern matters clinically. A patient from South Korea may present with a different risk-factor profile and a different stage distribution than a patient from a low-incidence country, which changes both the differential diagnosis and the pretreatment work-up.

All incidence figures on this site are age-standardised rates or absolute case counts from GLOBOCAN 2022 and its subsite analyses. They describe populations, not individual risk.

  • South Korea: The highest age-standardised incidence in Asia — 7.6/100,000 in men and 39.5/100,000 in women — driven largely by intensive ultrasound screening and overdiagnosis of small papillary cancers.
  • China: The largest absolute burden in Asia (about 466,000 new cases in 2022 across both sexes in one GLOBOCAN-based analysis), with wide regional variation in diagnostic intensity.
  • United States & Canada: High and rising incidence with stable mortality; active surveillance of low-risk papillary microcarcinoma is now an accepted option in guidelines.
  • Italy, France & Southern Europe: Among the highest incidence rates in Europe, again largely reflecting ultrasound and opportunistic screening.
  • United Arab Emirates & Gulf states: A 2026 Asian analysis reported the highest thyroid cancer mortality ASR in the region (0.9 in men, 13.9 in women per 100,000), illustrating that incidence and mortality rankings can differ.
  • Australia & New Zealand: High detection rates in high-income health systems, with excellent survival for differentiated disease.

What this means in practice: this answer is part of the “Understanding the disease” section of the Thyroid Cancer topic. If you are comparing treatment options, also read how to compare a second opinion and which records to send.

Other common questions about thyroid cancer

See all 14 questions in this topic →

Sources for this answer

  1. Global incidence of lip, oral cavity, and pharyngeal cancers by subsite in 2022 CA: A Cancer Journal for Clinicians · 2026 · Subsite-level estimates for 185 countries; the basis of the regional atlas on this site.
  2. Global Cancer Observatory (GLOBOCAN 2022) International Agency for Research on Cancer / WHO · 2022 · Source of worldwide and country-level incidence and mortality estimates.
  3. Global Cancer Facts & Figures, 5th Edition (GLOBOCAN 2022 tables) American Cancer Society · 2024
  4. Global Cancer Facts & Figures, 5th Edition (GLOBOCAN 2022 tables) American Cancer Society · 2024
  5. Thyroid cancer in Asia: incidence, mortality in 2022, and future projections to 2050 European Journal of Cancer Prevention · 2026 · South Korea had the highest ASR in Asia: 7.6/100,000 in men and 39.5/100,000 in women.
  6. Global Cancer Observatory (GLOBOCAN 2022) International Agency for Research on Cancer / WHO · 2022 · Source of worldwide and country-level incidence and mortality estimates.
  7. Thyroid Cancer (patient information) US National Cancer Institute · 2025

Written and medically reviewed by Xiangpeng Liu, MD

Associate Chief Physician, ENT & Head/Neck Surgery · Chenzhou First People’s Hospital, Chenzhou, Hunan, China

Editorial policy & reviewer credentials · All sources

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Medical disclaimer: This knowledge base is general information for people researching head and neck tumours, not a diagnosis or treatment plan. It does not replace an examination by a qualified physician. Survival figures are population averages, not predictions for an individual. Treatment and cost estimates for China are illustrative only and must be confirmed in writing after your records have been reviewed. If you have a symptom lasting more than two to three weeks, see a doctor promptly.