Thyroid cancer in Slovakia, 1968-1990: incidence, mortality and histological types.

Data on thyroid cancer incidence and mortality from the national cancer registry in Slovakia have been analysed for 1968-90, representing one of the first such descriptive epidemiological studies from Eastern Europe. The incidence of thyroid cancer has increased over this period, particularly among women, from approximately 1.5 to 2.5 per 100,000. These increases occurred primarily in papillary carcinomas, and to a lesser extent follicular carcinomas; the greatest proportional increase was in the younger age groups. In contrast to data reported from other areas, mortality also increased over the same period. The reasons for such increases are not evident, but the increases in mortality certainly indicate the potential for improvements in the treatment of thyroid cancer in Slovakia, as well as further study on the aetiological factors involved in the disease.