What is the risk of death from thyroid cancer?
With appropriate initial therapy, 30 year survival rates for thyroid cancer are usually more than 90%. The risk of dying from thyroid cancer is highest in older patients (>60 yrs old) with thyroid cancer that either cannot be completely removed surgically or has spread to the lungs or the bones. As noted above, anaplastic thyroid cancer is a much more aggressive tumor than the more common thyroid cancers and is associated with significantly higher disease specific mortality rates.
