Thyroid cancer is relatively uncommon , but it’s one of the more commonly diagnosed endocrine cancers. In the U.S., the American Cancer Society estimates about 45,240 new cases in 2026 and about 2,320 deaths, and it’s almost 3 times more common in women than in men.

How common it is

  • It tends to be diagnosed at a younger age than many other adult cancers, with an average diagnosis age of 51.
  • The incidence rate has been declining recently, dropping about 1.4% per year from 2013 through 2022.
  • The death rate has stayed about the same since 2009.

What that means

For most people, the overall chance of getting thyroid cancer is still fairly low, even though the number of diagnoses gets attention because many cases are found during scans or workups done for other reasons. News coverage this year has also kept the topic in view, including explainers tied to public figures and treatment stories.

Plain-language takeaway

If you want the shortest answer: thyroid cancer is not common compared with many other cancers , but it is diagnosed often enough that doctors watch it closely, especially in women and middle-aged adults.

Would you like a simple breakdown of thyroid cancer symptoms, risk factors, and survival rates?