Background/Objectives: Thyroid cancer incidence has risen in both the United States and Canada, despite differing healthcare systems. While overdiagnosis likely partly explains this trend in adults, its impact on younger populations is unclear. We used the North American Association of Central Cancer Registries, which included 133,808 thyroid cancer cases from the United States and Canada, to assess incidence trends among pediatric, adolescent, and young adult (PAYA) populations. Methods: Age-adjusted incidence rates (AAIR) per 100,000 person-years (PY) were compared using rate ratios (RR), stratified by sex, age, race/ethnicity (United States only), and histology. Joinpoint regression estimated annual percentage changes (APC) and average APCs (AAPC) in AAIRs. From 1995 to 2014, thyroid cancer incidence increased by 137%. Significant increases occurred across all age groups (0–14, 15–24, 25–34, 35–39 years). The rate increase was highest for papillary thyroid cancer (AAPC = 5.50, 95% CI 5.06, 5.94), and among individuals aged 35–39 years (AAPC = 5.99, 95% CI 4.84, 7.15). Of racial/ethnic groups in the United States, non-Hispanic White individuals had the highest AAIR (6.22 per 100,000 PY). Mortality has changed minimally. Conclusions: Over the past two decades, thyroid cancer incidence has increased in individuals under 40. While evidence suggests that overdiagnosis primarily accounts for this trend, other contributing factors cannot be ruled out. Further research and surveillance of the drivers of increased incidence are critical.

Introduction: Unequal access to care is associated with disparities in prevention, early detection, and outcomes of head and neck cancer (HNC), especially in underserved populations. Community‐engaged research (CEnR) aims to build capacity for community members to address health inequity via bidirectional partnerships with healthcare institutions. However, although HNC community screening events might increase HNC awareness, there is a paucity of HNC screening and prevention programs based on a community engagement framework. Methods and Analysis: This pilot study utilizes mixed methodology in the development, implementation, and evaluation phases of a community engaged participatory research effort titled Community Head and Neck Cancer Knowledge, Engagement, Research and Screening (CHECKERS). The target community is a local faith‐based organization consisting primarily of an underserved immigrant population. An overseeing advisory board consisting of a transdisciplinary HNC team, community stakeholders, and community liaisons was assembled, and focus groups were held with community partners in the development phase to identify community resources/needs related to HNC prevention, risk factors, early detection, and health equity. Rapid analysis of the completed focus group sessions will inform the development of community education and screening events. Preliminary administration of the HNC knowledge and risk‐factor survey has begun and will continue during implementation. Quantitative and qualitative analysis of survey results, screening outcomes, and feedback from community stakeholders in the evaluation phase will be used to develop scalable, sustainable, and community‐driven interventions in the future. Ethics and Dissemination: The described research study has been approved by the IRB of the parent institution. The results will be presented at relevant scientific meetings and disseminated through peer‐reviewed journals. Preliminary results will be used to develop interventions aimed at providing evidence of clinical benefits of mass screenings for preventing and detecting HNC, addressing the National Institutes of Health (NIH) NOT‐OD‐22‐179, Notice of Special Interest (NOSI): Addressing Evidence Gaps in Screening.

Pain management is a critical component of cancer care, yet the influence of sociodemographic and clinical factors on prescribing patterns for opioids, non-opioid medications, and non-pharmacological interventions remains underexplored. This cross-sectional study using the 2018–2020 Medical Expenditure Panel Survey (MEPS) characterizes clinical and sociodemographic factors associated with opioid, non-opioid, and non-pharmacological pain management in individuals with a history of cancer. Adults aged ≥18 years with a self-reported cancer diagnosis (N = 7,035) were characterized by sociodemographic factors, including race/ethnicity, income, insurance type, and English proficiency, and clinical variables such as cancer type, comorbidities, and depression were surveyed. Main outcomes included receipt of prescription opioids, non-opioid pain medications, and non-pharmacological pain interventions. Adjusted relative risks (aRR) for pain management approaches were estimated using quasi-Poisson regression. Among 7,035 participants, 19.99% received opioids, 51.15% non-opioid medications, and 20.73% non-pharmacological interventions. Opioid prescription was significantly lower among Asian participants (aRR 0.18, 95% CI 0.05, 0.67) and those with limited English proficiency (aRR 0.22; 95% CI 0.11, 0.43). Depression was associated with increased use of opioids (aRR 1.26, 95% CI 1.09, 1.46) and non-opioid medications (aRR 1.26, 95% CI 1.18, 1.34). Non-opioid and non-pharmacological interventions were more likely among females (aRR 1.21 and 1.49, respectively) but less frequent among individuals with lower income and education. Significant differences in cancer pain management were found based on sociodemographic and clinical factors. Further research is needed to determine whether disparities in opioid and non-opioid prescribing persist across race, sex, English language proficiency, and mental health comorbidities.