| Description |
Thyroid cancer patients have one of the highest 5-year survival rates of any cancer at 98%. It also affects a young population as nearly 67% of thyroid cancer patients are diagnosed before age 55. As these survivors are young and leading long lives after cancer diagnosis and treatment, it is important to understand how their long-term health and finances are affected by thyroid cancer. Data from the Utah Population Database were utilized to study the long-term health of thyroid cancer survivors. There were 3,706 thyroid cancer survivors and 15,587 matched cancer-free individuals included in the study. All thyroid cancer survivors had increased risks for multiple circulatory health conditions and many other diseases associated with aging. The risks were higher for younger patients diagnosed before age 40 for many outcomes including osteoporosis and diabetes with complications. Reproductive and pregnancy complications in women diagnosed before age 50 in this population were also studied. Thyroid cancer survivors had increased risks for having multiple health conditions of the female genital organs and multiple health conditions associated with pregnancy. Patients who underwent surgery but did not have radioactive iodine had increased risks for gestational diabetes and missed abortions compared to patients who had both surgery and radioactive iodine treatment. The Utah All Payer Claims Database (APCD) was utilized to assess the healthcare costs of thyroid cancer patients during the year of their diagnosis and in the following year. On average, healthcare costs were $19,721.84 in the year of diagnosis and $10,523.88 in the following year. While the total costs decreased, pharmacy costs increased by 112% ($1001.63) between the two years. In the year of surgery, costs were slightly higher for patients who underwent a partial thyroidectomy but significantly lower in the following year when compared those who underwent a total thyroidectomy. Overall, thyroid cancer survivors have increased risks for long-term health effects and healthcare costs differed by treatment groups. By understanding the trajectory of cancer survivors, health interventions can be put into place to reduce the risk for long-term health effects and thereby reduce healthcare costs. |
