{"id":39721,"date":"2026-01-21T10:31:05","date_gmt":"2026-01-21T15:31:05","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/blackhealthmatters.com\/?p=39721"},"modified":"2026-01-22T13:48:56","modified_gmt":"2026-01-22T18:48:56","slug":"thyroid-cancer-rates-are-rising-and-black-patients-face-higher-risks","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/blackhealthmatters.com\/thyroid-cancer-rates-are-rising-and-black-patients-face-higher-risks\/","title":{"rendered":"Thyroid Cancer Rates are Rising, and Black Patients Face Higher Risks"},"content":{"rendered":"

Thyroid cancer is one of the fastest growing cancers in the United States. Over the past few decades, its incidence rate has more than tripled, meaning it is rising faster than any other major cancer type. Behind the overall numbers lies a troubling paradox for Black Americans. It is the fact that even though Black people develop thyroid cancer at lower rates than other racial groups, they experience a more advanced disease, receive less\u00a0optimal\u00a0treatment, and are more likely to die from it.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

It is also important to note that African Americans are at a\u00a0<\/span>higher risk<\/span><\/a>\u00a0for anaplastic thyroid cancer compared to other racial groups. This is an aggressive and often fatal form of thyroid cancer that grows rapidly and typically has a poor prognosis.\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Black Patients Have Lower Prevalence, but Higher Risk<\/span><\/b>\u00a0<\/span><\/h3>\n

Thyroid cancer is\u00a0nearly three\u00a0times more common in women than men and is 40%\u201350% less common in Black people than in any other racial or ethnic group. For 2026, the\u00a0<\/span>American Cancer Society<\/span><\/a>\u00a0estimates an estimated 45,240 new cases will be diagnosed (13,240 in men and 32,000 in women), alongside around 2,320 deaths. The Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results\u00a0<\/span>(SEER)\u00a0<\/span>database<\/span><\/a>\u00a0also\u00a0shows\u00a0that from 1980 to 2016, incidence rates rose sharply from 2.39 to 7.54 cases per 100,000 in men and from 6.15 to 21.28 in women. Even though rates have been stabilized in recent years, they\u00a0remain\u00a0far higher than before.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Black Patients Less Likely to Receive the Recommended Surgery<\/span><\/b>\u00a0<\/span><\/h3>\n

The\u00a0<\/span>American Thyroid Association<\/span><\/a>\u00a0stated that Black patients faced a significantly higher risk of dying from thyroid cancer. Additionally, while differences in tumor biology explained most of the risk for Hispanic patients, it was revealed that it was not the case for Black patients.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

To add to this disparity, the\u00a0<\/span>American Thyroid Association<\/span><\/a>\u00a0revealed that Hispanic patients were most likely to receive guideline\u2011recommended surgery (79%), while Black patients were least likely (68.9%).\u00a0With that being said, nearly\u00a0every patient with advanced cancer got the correct operation (96.6%), and only 63.7% of early\u2011stage patients received the same standard of care. Thyroid cancer surgery is highly\u00a0specialized\u00a0and outcomes depend heavily on correct technique and the surgeon\u2019s level of experience. By not receiving the recommended operation\u00a0immediately, Black patients are at higher risk for complications, recurrence, and long-term\u00a0mortality..<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

The Real Driver is Social Determinants of Health<\/span><\/b>\u00a0<\/span><\/h3>\n

Researchers<\/span><\/a>\u00a0have found that the\u00a0<\/span>social determinants of health<\/span><\/a>\u00a0that affect thyroid cancer survival rates and treatment options include:<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n