Pam Bondi underwent treatment for thyroid cancer: How common is it?

Former US Attorney General Pam Bondi’s cancer diagnosis came as a shock to many.

News about Bondi’s illness and her treatment for thyroid cancer emerged after her exit from the US Justice Department last month. Trump, announcing Bondi’s departure from the White House, called her “a great American patriot and a loyal friend.”

“Pam did a tremendous job overseeing a massive crackdown in crime across our country, with murders plummeting to their lowest level since 1900,” Trump wrote. “We love Pam, and she will be transitioning to a much-needed and important new job in the private sector, to be announced at a date in the near future.”

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Though the details of Bondi’s treatment remain under wraps, the 60-year-old is said to be recovering. The news comes as Bondi has been appointed to a White House panel on Artificial Intelligence (AI), co-chaired by White House AI and crypto czar David Sacks and White House science adviser Michael Kratsios. But what do we know about thyroid cancer? How common is it?

Let’s take a closer look.

What is thyroid cancer?

First, let’s take a closer look at thyroid cancer.

It is a type of cancer that starts in the thyroid gland, which is on the front part of the neck, below the Adam’s apple. The thyroid regulates metabolism, heart rate, blood pressure, and body temperature in human beings. It is not seen or felt in most people. It is butterfly-shaped and comprises two lobes – one on the right and the other on the left. These lobes are connected by a narrow piece of gland known as the isthmus.

Types of thyroid cancer

There are several types of thyroid cancer. These include:

Papillary thyroid cancer is by far the most common, occurring in eight out of ten cases. Of this, the follicular variant is the most prevalent. Other types of papillary cancer include tall cell, columnar, insular, clear cell, trabecular, hobnail, and diffuse sclerosing. However, these are not found as frequently as the papillary variant. They tend to grow and spread quicker and may require more intensive treatment.

Donald Trump last month announced that Pam Bondi was stepping down as Attorney General. Reuters

Follicular thyroid cancer is found in 1 out of 10 cases. Other types of thyroid cancers include oncocytic cancer (previously known as Hürthle cell cancer) and medullary thyroid cancer (MTC). Anaplastic, which is the hardest to treat, is also the rarest kind of thyroid cancer.

Thyroid cancer is prevalent in both high-income and middle- and low-income nations. Research shows that incidence of thyroid cancer has been on the rise over the past few decades, particularly in women.

Now let’s examine the data.

Thyroid cancer in the US

According to the American Cancer Society, there have been 45,240 new cases of thyroid cancer in 2026 thus far in the United States. The data show that women are on average nearly three times more disproportionately affected by thyroid cancer. Of these, 13,240 cases were in men and 32,000 in women. However, deaths are more evenly split – at least 2,320 people have died of thyroid cancer, of which 1,100 were men and 1,220 were women.

Thyroid cancer is a type of cancer that starts in the thyroid gland, which is on the front part of the neck, below the Adam’s apple. Representational image. Pexels

It is usually caught at a younger age than most other cancers. The average age of an individual in the US being diagnosed with thyroid cancer is 51. Thyroid cancer is also 40 per cent to 50 per cent less common in Black people than in any other racial or ethnic group.

Thyroid cancer in India

In India, per 100,000 people, around 5.4 are diagnosed with thyroid cancer each year. According to research published in the Indian Journal of Public Health, India was estimated to have around 39,000 thyroid cancer cases in 2025.

In India, Kerala’s capital, Thiruvananthapuram, has seen the highest thyroid cancer cases for men and the second-highest for women. The incidence of thyroid cancer in Thiruvananthapuram showed a 9.6 per cent annual increase during the period between 2005 and 2016.

In the city, the incidence of thyroid cancer in women rose from 6.9 per 100,000 in 2006 to 13.3 per 100,000 in 2012 – a 93 per cent increase in less than a decade. Thiruvananthapuram’s rate was also four times higher than several other Indian cities. However, thyroid cancer deaths remain stable at 0.4–0.5 deaths per 100,000 women.

Treatment and cure

Surgery is the most common method of treating thyroid cancer. During such an operation, a surgeon removes the thyroid gland. This is known as a thyroidectomy. The surgeon can also remove the affected parts of the thyroid, which is known as a lobectomy. During the procedure, the surgeon may also remove any affected lymph nodes.

There are also a range of other treatments, including:

Interestingly, Bondi isn’t the only one in Trump’s inner circle to be impacted by cancer. Trump’s son-in-law Jared Kushner, in his memoir, revealed he underwent surgery to remove a tumour from his throat during the first term. He later underwent thyroid cancer surgery.

In March, Trump’s chief of staff, Susie Wiles, announced she had been diagnosed with breast cancer. Meanwhile, Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard last week announced that she was resigning to help care for her husband’s “extremely rare form of bone cancer.”

FAQs

1. How common is thyroid cancer in India?

Around 5.4 people per 100,000 are diagnosed with thyroid cancer each year in India, with an estimated 39,000 cases annually.

2. Why are thyroid cancer cases increasing?

The rise is largely due to better detection methods like ultrasounds and scans, which are identifying smaller and earlier-stage cancers.

3. Is thyroid cancer deadly?

Most thyroid cancers, especially papillary thyroid cancer, are highly treatable and have excellent survival rates, which is why mortality has remained stable despite rising cases.

With inputs from agencies