Background: The burden of thyroid cancer (TC) among young people aged 10-24 years has not been systematically studied to date. This study aims to analyze the burden of TC among young people aged 10-24 years globally, regionally, and nationally from 1990 to 2021.
Methods: We collected data on the incidence, mortality, and disability-adjusted life years (DALYs) rates for TC among young people aged 10-24 years from 1990 to 2021 using the Global Burden of Disease (GBD) 2021. Joinpoint regression analysis, frontier analysis, and health inequality analysis were employed to examine the variations and changes in TC burden among young people aged 10-24 years across different countries and regions.
Results: From 1990 to 2021, the global burden of TC among young people has increased from 2.726 per 100,000 people [95% Uncertainty Interval (UI) 2.38-3.181] to 2.956 per 100,000 people (95% UI: 2.339-3.922), with an Average Annual Percent Change (AAPC) of 0.258 (95% Confidence Interval (CI): 0.138-0.378). The highest incidence rates were observed in Saudi Arabia, Taiwan (China), and Vietnam, while the highest mortality rates were in India, China, and Bangladesh. Frontier analysis revealed that the largest disparities in effective differences were found in the Netherlands, Germany, Canada, the United States of America, and Guinea-Bissau. The Slope Index of Inequality (SII) for DALYs increased slightly from -0.15 in 1990 to -1.3 in 2021.
Conclusions: Over the past three decades, the burden of TC has increased globally among young people, particularly in poorer countries and regions. This study highlights the importance of formulating public health policies tailored to the specific circumstances of different countries and regions aimed at reducing the TC burden among young people.
Keywords: DALYs; Global disease burden 2021; Health inequality; Thyroid cancer.
© 2025. The Author(s).