2025 American Thyroid Association Management Guidelines for Adult Patients with Differentiated Thyroid Cancer

Abstract

Background:

Differentiated thyroid cancer (DTC) is the most prevalent cancer of thyroid and is among the most frequently diagnosed cancers in the United States. The practice guidelines of the American Thyroid Association (ATA) for DTC management in adult patients (previously combined with thyroid nodules) were published initially in 1996, with subsequent revisions based on advances in the field. The goal of this update is to provide clinicians, patients, researchers, and those involved in health policy with rigorous, comprehensive, and contemporary guidelines to assist in the management of adult patients with DTC, emphasizing the patient journey beginning with a thyroid cancer diagnosis.

Methods:

The questions addressed were based, in part, on prior versions of the guidelines, with input from a larger, more diverse complement of stakeholders. The panel included members from multiple specialties involved in thyroid cancer care, including a patient advocate and an expert in systematic reviews/meta-analyses/guidelines who educated and supported task force members. The panel conducted systematic literature reviews to inform the recommendations and commissioned two additional systematic reviews. Published English-language articles were eligible for inclusion, with a final search date of July 1, 2024. A modified Grading of Recommendations Assessment, Development and Evaluation system was used for critical appraisal of evidence and determining the quality of data. The guidelines panel had editorial independence from the ATA. Competing interests of task force members were pre-vetted, regularly updated, communicated with task force members, and assessed and managed by ATA leadership and the Clinical Practice Guidelines and Statements Committee.

Results:

These revised guidelines begin with the initial cancer diagnosis and continue with recommendations for staging and risk assessment, initial treatment decisions, assessment of treatment responses, monitoring approaches, diagnostic testing, and subsequent therapies based on the strength of evidence for response and consideration of side effects and outcomes. Patient-reported outcomes and identified areas of need for additional high-quality research are highlighted.

Conclusions:

These revised evidence-based recommendations inform clinical decision-making in the management of DTC that reflect the changing science and optimize the evidence-based clinical care of patients throughout their journey with DTC. Critical areas of need for additional research are highlighted.