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Background Thyroid cancer incidence has been reported to be increasing since the 1970 s. The aim of this study was to investigate the change in incidence and survival from 1980 to 2014 in Denmark. Methods We identified patients registered with thyroid cancer in the period 1980–2014. We evaluated the age-adjusted incidence rate (AAIR) and the average annual percentage change (AAPC), constructed age–period–cohort models (APCs), and evaluated relative survival (RS). Results We included 5139 patients. The AAIR was 1.6 cases per 100,000 in 1980 and 4.5 cases in 2014 with an AAPC of 3.4%. The AAIR for papillary carcinomas (n = 2864) quintupled in the study period, and accounts for most of the observed increase in incidence with an AAPC of 4.9%. Follicular carcinomas (n = 920) nearly tripled in AAIR and had the second greatest increase in AAPC. Papillary carcinomas had the best prognosis with 1-year and 5-year RSs of 95% and 91%, followed by the follicular carcinomas with 1-year and 5-year RSs of 90% and 80%, respectively. Anaplastic carcinomas (n = 320) had the worst prognosis with 1-year and 5-year RSs of 18% and 12%. We found a significant age effect in the APC model for the incidence of thyroid cancer but no significant cohort or period effects. Conclusion The incidence of thyroid cancer is rising. This is primarily attributable to an increase in papillary carcinomas. The relative survival has improved significantly in Denmark since 1980. The cause of the increasing incidence remains to be established, but enhanced diagnostic scrutiny and increased iodine intake may be influential.

BACKGROUND: Anaplastic thyroid carcinoma (ATC) is the least common but most malignant thyroid cancer. We aimed to examine the characteristics as well as evaluate the incidence, prognostic factors, and if introduction of a fast track cancer program might influence survival in a cohort of ATC patients.METHODS: A cohort study based on prospective data from the national Danish thyroid cancer database DATHYRCA and the national Danish Pathology Register including 219 patients diagnosed from 1996 to 2012, whom were followed until death or through September 2014.RESULTS: We found the median age in the 7th decade, the majority of patients being women presenting with a growing mass at the neck, diagnosed with stage T4b disease. At diagnosis, 56% of the patients had lymph node metastasis and 38% distant metastasis. We observed one- and five-year survival of 20.7% and 11.0%, respectively. Both univariate and multivariate analyses showed age (above 73.6 years), respiratory impairment, T4b stage, and distant metastasis at diagnosis to be significant prognostic factors. Further, introduction of a national fast track cancer program increased survival nearly two-fold.CONCLUSION: As new information, our study adds "respiratory impairment at diagnosis" and "introduction of a national fast track cancer program" to the list of already established prognostic indicators for ATC.