ORIGINAL RESEARCH article
Front. Oncol.
Sec. Cancer Epidemiology and Prevention
Global Burden of Thyroid Cancer in Males: A Comprehensive Analysis of Incidence, Mortality, and Risk Factors from 1990 to 2040
Provisionally accepted
- The First Affiliated Hospital of Xi'an Jiaotong University, Xi'an, China
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Background: Thyroid cancer incidence has increased globally, with notable gender disparities in epidemiological patterns and outcomes. This study examines the global burden of thyroid cancer in males from 1990 to 2021 and projects trends to 2040. Methods: Using data from the Global Burden of Disease Study 2021, the author analyzed age-standardized incidence, prevalence, deaths, and disability-adjusted life years (DALYs) for thyroid cancer in males across 204 countries and territories. Bayesian meta-regression and ensemble modeling techniques were employed to estimate trends and generate projections. Results: Global male thyroid cancer incidence increased from 1.2 to 2.0 per 100,000 (EAPC: 1.78%, 95% CI: 1.64-1.92) between 1990 and 2021, while mortality remained stable (0.4 to 0.5 per 100,000; EAPC: 0.41%, 95% CI: 0.35-0.46). Significant geographical variations were observed, with high-SDI regions showing the highest incidence rates but the most stable mortality patterns. Projections to 2040 indicate continued incidence increases (2.16 per 100,000) with stable mortality (0.45 per 100,000), though uncertainty intervals widen substantially in later years. Conclusion: The diverging trends between rising incidence and stable mortality in male thyroid cancer suggest substantial, particularly in developing regions. Gender differences in disease characteristics and outcomes highlight the need for sex-specific clinical approaches. These findings emphasize the importance of implementing evidence-based diagnostic practices to minimize overdiagnosis while ensuring appropriate care for advanced cases.
Keywords: Disease trends, gender disparities, Global burden, Risk factors, thyroid cancer
Received: 14 Sep 2025; Accepted: 02 Feb 2026.
Copyright: © 2026 Chen. This is an open-access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (CC BY). The use, distribution or reproduction in other forums is permitted, provided the original author(s) or licensor are credited and that the original publication in this journal is cited, in accordance with accepted academic practice. No use, distribution or reproduction is permitted which does not comply with these terms.
* Correspondence: Hao Chen
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