Univariate Cox regression model demonstrated that age ≥45 years (p = 0.003), tumor size >1 cm (p = 0.005), capsule invasion (p = 0.023), CLNM (p = 0.021), extrathyroidal invasion (p<0.001), vascular invasion (p<0.001), distant metastasis (p = 0.003), advanced TNM stage (p<0.001), and high preoperative serum MMP-2 (≥144.04 ng/ml, p<0.001) were risk factors for SPRD. Here, MMP2 is linked to neoplasm.