Evidence map›Paper›PMID 42122268›Full record

ArticleCancers2026

Sex-Specific Trends in Thyroid Cancer Incidence and Histological Patterns in Northern Tunisia: A Population-Based Study with Implications for Cancer Control and Prevention.

Hyem Khiari, Soumaya Henchiri, Ismail Dergaa, Halil İbrahim Ceylan, Valentina Stefanica, Saida Sakhri, Semia Zarraa, Hajer Ben Mansour, Yoser Zenzri, Houssem Dziri and 4 more

Abstract read
In one paragraph

Article in Cancers, 2026. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 1 paper.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
1citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

1 citing paper in PubMed.

  1. Review
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

14 authors.

Hyem KhiariDepartment of Epidemiology, Salah Azaiez Institute of Cancer, Bab Saadoun, Tunis 1006, Tunisia.
Soumaya HenchiriDirectorate of Basic Healthcare, Tunis 1002, Tunisia.
Ismail DergaaHigh Institute of Sport and Physical Education of Ksar Said, University of Manouba, Manouba 2010, Tunisia.ORCID 0000-0001-8091-1856
Halil İbrahim CeylanPhysical Education and Sports Teaching Department, Faculty of Sports Sciences, Atatürk University, Erzurum 25240, Türkiye.ORCID 0009-0005-2214-4667
Valentina StefanicaDepartment of Physical Education and Sport, Faculty of Sciences, Physical Education and Informatics, Pitesti University Center, National University of Science and Technology Politehnica Bucharest, 060042 Pitesti, Romania.ORCID 0000-0003-4031-1412
Saida SakhriDepartment of Surgical Oncology, Salah Azaiez Institute of Cancer, Tunis 1007, Tunisia.ORCID 0000-0003-2518-3555
Semia ZarraaDepartment of Radiotherapy, Salah Azaiez Institute of Cancer, Tunis 1007, Tunisia.
Hajer Ben MansourDepartment of Medical Oncology, Salah Azaiez Institute of Cancer, Tunis 1007, Tunisia.
Yoser ZenzriDepartment of Medical Oncology, Salah Azaiez Institute of Cancer, Tunis 1007, Tunisia.ORCID 0000-0002-0520-8594
Houssem DziriDepartment of Epidemiology, Salah Azaiez Institute of Cancer, Bab Saadoun, Tunis 1006, Tunisia.
Nadia Ben MansourCharles Nicolle Hospital, Tunis 1006, Tunisia.
Najet MahjoubDepartment of Medical Oncology, Jendouba Hospital, Jendouba 8100, Tunisia.
Raul Ioan MunteanDepartment of Physical Education and Sport, Faculty of Law and Social Sciences, University "1 Decembrie 1918" of Alba Iulia, 510009 Alba Iulia, Romania.ORCID 0000-0003-4615-6687
Mohamed HsairiDepartment of Epidemiology, Salah Azaiez Institute of Cancer, Bab Saadoun, Tunis 1006, Tunisia.ORCID 0000-0003-1187-1613

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundThyroid cancer (TC) represents the most common endocrine malignancy worldwide, with incidence increasing rapidly across diverse geographic regions. However, population-based evidence from North Africa remains limited, and comprehensive longitudinal analyses examining sex-specific incidence patterns, histological subtypes, and trends in tumor extension are lacking in Tunisia.

aimThis study aimed to (i) quantify TC incidence trends by sex and age group, (ii) characterize histological subtype-specific temporal patterns and tumor extension at diagnosis in northern Tunisia between 2000 and 2018, and (iii) to address projections in incidence by sex until 2040.

methodsA retrospective, population-based registry study was conducted using data from the Northern Tunisia Cancer Registry (NTCR), covering 11 governorates with a population of 5,233,700 in 2018. All primary invasive TC cases diagnosed between 2000 and 2018 were included (n = 3639). Age-standardized incidence rates (ASIRs) were calculated using the WHO standard population. Temporal trends were assessed using Joinpoint regression to estimate average annual percentage change (AAPC) with 95% confidence intervals. Projections of TC incidence to 2040 were generated using Bayesian autoregressive age-period-cohort models.

resultsTC incidence increased significantly between 2000 and 2018, with overall ASIR rising from 2.8 to 5.0 per 100,000 person-years (AAPC = 3.8%,

conclusionsThis population-based study demonstrates a sustained rise in TC incidence in northern Tunisia, disproportionately affecting women and largely driven by papillary histology. The concurrent increase in TC incidence alongside a reduction in regional and metastatic extension at diagnosis occurred. These findings have important implications for cancer prevention and control, highlighting the need for risk-adapted screening strategies and rationalized diagnostic practices.

Indexed as

cancer epidemiologycancer preventionincidence trendsjoinpoint regressionoverdiagnosispapillary thyroid carcinomapopulation-based registrysex differencesthyroid cancerTunisia

Identifiers

PMID42122268
PMCPMC13162613

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Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.