Researchers report thyroid cancer rising

KINGSTON, Ontario, Nov. 21 (UPI) -- Canadian researchers said the incidence of thyroid cancer is rising, adding that earlier detection might explain some of the increase.

A review of thyroid cancer records showed a 146 percent jump in the incidence rate from 1990 to 2001, researchers from Queen's University in Kingston, Ontario, reported. They attributed the increase to the identification of small tumors that could be spotted only because of the growing use of medical technology, Ivanhoe Newswire reported Wednesday.

"Our findings suggest that more frequent use of medical imaging has led to an increased detection rate of small, sub-clinical tumors, which in turn accounts for the higher incidence of differentiated thyroid carcinoma," the authors wrote in their paper, published in the Canadian Medical Association Journal. "This suggests that we need to re-evaluate our understanding of the trends in thyroid cancer incidence."

Thyroid cancer is relatively rare, the scientists said, explaining their findings suggest further expansion of medical knowledge of this disease is needed.