Health Dictionary Find a Doctor

Medullary thyroid cancer epidemiology and demographics

Editor-In-Chief: C. Michael Gibson, M.S., M.D. [1]; Associate Editor(s)-in-Chief: Ammu Susheela, M.D. [2]

Overview

The incidence of medullary thyroid cancer is approximately 14.3 per 100,000 individuals worldwide. The incidence of medullary thyroid cancer increases with age; Sporadic form of medullary thyroid cancer commonly presents in the fifth and sixth decade of life. The familial form tends to appear earlier in life.

Epidemiology and Demographics

Incidence

Age

  • The incidence of medullary thyroid cancer increases with age.[3]
  • Sporadic form of medullary thyroid cancer commonly presents in the fifth and sixth decade of life.[4]
  • The familial form tends to appear earlier in life.

Gender

  • Medullary thyroid cancer affects women more frequently than men. However, this gender disparity tends to decrease by advancing the age of individuals.[3]

Race

  • Medullaty thyroid cancer is more common among white and hispanic ethnicities than Asian/Pacific Islanders and blacks.[3][5]

Case fatality/Mortality rate

References

  1. Davies, Louise; Welch, H. Gilbert (2006). “Increasing Incidence of Thyroid Cancer in the United States, 1973-2002”. JAMA. 295 (18): 2164. doi:10.1001/jama.295.18.2164. ISSN 0098-7484.
  2. 2.0 2.1 Davies, Louise; Welch, H. Gilbert (2014). “Current Thyroid Cancer Trends in the United States”. JAMA Otolaryngology–Head & Neck Surgery. 140 (4): 317. doi:10.1001/jamaoto.2014.1. ISSN 2168-6181.
  3. 3.0 3.1 3.2 Aschebrook-Kilfoy, Briseis; Ward, Mary H.; Sabra, Mona M.; Devesa, Susan S. (2011). “Thyroid Cancer Incidence Patterns in the United States by Histologic Type, 1992–2006”. Thyroid. 21 (2): 125–134. doi:10.1089/thy.2010.0021. ISSN 1050-7256.
  4. Wells, Samuel A.; Asa, Sylvia L.; Dralle, Henning; Elisei, Rossella; Evans, Douglas B.; Gagel, Robert F.; Lee, Nancy; Machens, Andreas; Moley, Jeffrey F.; Pacini, Furio; Raue, Friedhelm; Frank-Raue, Karin; Robinson, Bruce; Rosenthal, M. Sara; Santoro, Massimo; Schlumberger, Martin; Shah, Manisha; Waguespack, Steven G. (2015). “Revised American Thyroid Association Guidelines for the Management of Medullary Thyroid Carcinoma”. Thyroid. 25 (6): 567–610. doi:10.1089/thy.2014.0335. ISSN 1050-7256.
  5. Lairmore, Terry C.; Diesen, Diana; Goldfarb, Melanie; Milas, Mira; Ying, Anita K.; Sharma, Jyotirmay; McIver, Bryan; Wong, Richard J.; Randolph, Greg (2015). “AMERICAN ASSOCIATION OF CLINICAL ENDOCRINOLOGISTS AND AMERICAN COLLEGE OF ENDOCRINOLOGY DISEASE STATE CLINICAL REVIEW: TIMING OF MULTIPLE ENDOCRINE NEOPLASIA THYROIDECTOMY AND EXTENT OF CENTRAL NECK LYMPHADENECTOMY”. Endocrine Practice. 21 (7): 839–847. doi:10.4158/EP14463.DSCR. ISSN 1530-891X.


Template:WikiDoc Sources

© 2026 MyEClinic – IFTM Institut für Telematik in der Medizin GmbH