Objective To investigate the incidence and trends of thyroid cancer in Wujiang District, Suzhou City, Jiangsu Province, from 2008 to 2022, and to provide a scientific evidence for the prevention and control of thyroid cancer.

Methods Data on thyroid cancer incidence from 2008 to 2022 were collected from the Wujiang District Cancer Registry System. The data were stratified by year of diagnosis and age group, and indicators such as crude incidence rate, standardized incidence rate (SIR), age-specific incidence rate, and the average annual percentage change (AAPC) were calculated.

Results Between 2008 and 2022, a total of 2 244 new cases of thyroid cancer reported in Wujiang District. The overall crude incidence rate was 18.07/100 000, and the SIR was 16.02/100 000, with AAPCs of 28.30% and 30.59%, respectively. Among males, 543 new cases were reported, with a crude incidence rate of 8.88/100 000, a SIR of 7.98/100 000, and AAPCs of 24.99% and 28.19%, respectively. Among females, 1 701 new cases were reported, with a crude incidence rate of 27.00/100 000, a SIR of 23.80/100 000, and AAPCs of 30.06% and 31.97%, respectively. Both crude and standardized incidence rates increased significantly for the overall population as well as for males and females (P<0.05). The number and rates of age-specific incidences increased with age up to 55 years, peaking between 50 and <55 years.

Conclusion The incidence rate of thyroid cancer in Wujiang District is rapidly increasing. It is necessary to strengthen the prevention and control of thyroid cancer, especially among females, to mitigate the rapid increase in the incidence rate of thyroid cancer.