Thyroid cancer patients exhibit a significantly higher risk of new-onset depression across all management strategies, including active surveillance, lobectomy, and total thyroidectomy.
The hazard ratio (HR) for antidepressant prescription is highest in patients who undergo no immediate surgical treatment (HR 1.33) and those undergoing lobectomy (HR 1.30).
Treatment-specific factors such as cumulative radioactive iodine (RAI) dose and levothyroxine (T4) dosage do not significantly correlate with depression risk.
The risk of antidepressant initiation is critically elevated within the first five years post-diagnosis, suggesting a specific window for mental health screening and intervention.
