Causes of Deaths Among Patients With Differentiated Thyroid Cancer
According to a retrospective study, non–cancer-related mortality makes up a substantial proportion of deaths among patients with metastatic differentiated thyroid cancer (DTC).
Using data from the Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results cancer registry database, this study included 187,747 cases of patients with DTC (metastatic DTC, n = 4749) Cumulative mortality associated with thyroid cancer, subsequent cancers, and non–cancer-related causes were estimated, and standard mortality ratios were used to evaluate disparities between the observed and expected mortality rates among patients with metastatic DTC.
There were 17,582 patients who died during follow up in the DTC cohort, and 2,046 in the metastatic DTC cohort. The 5-year cumulative mortality was the highest for brain metastases (53.1%) and liver metastases (49.0%). In the metastatic DTC cohort, 7.1% of patients died due to subsequent cancers in the follow up period, with lung cancer being the most frequent subsequent cancer to cause death. The most prevalent cause of non–cancer-related mortality was cerebrovascular diseases.
Study authors concluded, “Enhanced attention should be directed toward the management of [metastatic] DTC survivors, with individualized treatment and follow-up plans tailored to patient-specific factors, while providing comprehensive guidance regarding potential future health risks.”
Source:
Liu Q, Ma B, Song M, Sun H, and Zhang H. Causes of death among patients with metastatic differentiated thyroid disorder. J Endocrinol Invest. Published on: July 7, 2025. doi: 10.1007/s40618-025-02643-z
