ME / county disease rankings

Counties with the highest thyroid cancer incidence rates in Maine

Among 15 Maine counties with published values, the counties with the highest thyroid cancer incidence rates are Penobscot County, ME (21.6, 1.66 times the U.S. rate of 13), Washington County, ME (21.3, 1.64 times the U.S. rate of 13) and Hancock County, ME (20.7, 1.59 times the U.S. rate of 13). Values are per 100,000, age-adjusted. 4 of the 15 are significantly above the U.S. rate.

Source: NCI and CDC State Cancer Profiles, both sexes, all ages. These are county-level figures, age-adjusted as published by the source, compared with the U.S. rate. A high rate does not prove an environmental cause: age, smoking, income, access to care, screening and chance all move county rates, and small counties swing widely. Significant means the lower bound of the county’s 95 percent confidence interval is above the U.S. rate.