Anaplastic thyroid carcinoma: current trends and future perspectives
Abstract
Anaplastic thyroid carcinoma is a rare neoplasm (constituting about 2% of thyroid tumors) but highly lethal. Despite recent advances in the management of the disease and the establishment of multimodal treatments, the results continue to be bleak with the median survival of around 5-6 months after diagnosis. The search for new methods to earlier diagnosis as well as for new therapeutic targets both effective and safe is the key to improve the prognosis of these patients. The last decade has brought us important discoveries, especially in understanding the molecular mechanisms of tumor dedifferentiation, representing good potential to increase the sensitivity of diagnostics tests and find new drugs. The latest options in molecular treatment are kinase inhibitors, anti-angiogenic drugs, proteasome inhibitors and epigenetic drugs (histone deacetylase inhibitors and demethylating agents). The results of some phase II studies are promising. This paper reviews the diagnostic and therapeutic tools currently used and presents some of the latest discoveries in the treatment of patients with anaplastic thyroid carcinoma.
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References
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Sosa JA, Balkissoon J, Lu SP, et al. Thyroidectomy followed by fosbretabulin (CA4P) combination regimen appears to suggest improvement in patient survival in anaplastic thyroid cancer. Surgery. 2012;152(6):1078-87. Epub 2012/11/20. doi: 10.1016/j.surg.2012.08.036. PubMed PMID: 23158178.
Sosa JA, Elisei R, Jarzab B, et al. Randomized Safety and Efficacy Study of Fosbretabulin with Paclitaxel/Carboplatin Against Anaplastic Thyroid Carcinoma. Thyroid : official journal of the American Thyroid Association. 2014;24(2):232-40. PubMed PMID: WOS:000331245300007.
Wunderlich A, Fischer M, Schlosshauer T, et al. Evaluation of Aurora kinase inhibition as a new therapeutic strategy in anaplastic and poorly differentiated follicular thyroid cancer. Cancer science. 2011;102(4):762-8. Epub 2011/01/11. doi: 10.1111/j.1349-7006.2011.01853.x. PubMed PMID: 21214672.
Libertini S, Abagnale A, Passaro C, et al. AZD1152 negatively affects the growth of anaplastic thyroid carcinoma cells and enhances the effects of oncolytic virus dl922-947. Endocrine-related cancer. 2011;18(1):129-41. Epub 2010/11/13. doi: 10.1677/erc-10-0234. PubMed PMID: 21071467.
Altmann A, Markert A, Askoxylakis V, et al. Antitumor effects of proteasome inhibition in anaplastic thyroid carcinoma. Journal of nuclear medicine : official publication, Society of Nuclear Medicine. 2012;53(11):1764-71. Epub 2012/10/12. doi: 10.2967/jnumed.111.101295. PubMed PMID: 23055533.
Catalano MG, Pugliese M, Gargantini E, et al. Cytotoxic activity of the histone deacetylase inhibitor panobinostat (LBH589) in anaplastic thyroid cancer in vitro and in vivo. International journal of cancer Journal international du cancer. 2012;130(3):694-704. Epub 2011/03/15. doi: 10.1002/ijc.26057. PubMed PMID: 21400508.
Catalano MG, Fortunati N, Pugliese M, et al. Histone deacetylase inhibition modulates E-cadherin expression and suppresses migration and invasion of anaplastic thyroid cancer cells. The Journal of clinical endocrinology and metabolism. 2012;97(7):E1150-9. Epub 2012/05/09. doi: 10.1210/jc.2011-2970. PubMed PMID: 22563106.
Pugliese M, Fortunati N, Germano A, et al. Histone deacetylase inhibition affects sodium iodide symporter expression and induces 131I cytotoxicity in anaplastic thyroid cancer cells. Thyroid : official journal of the American Thyroid Association. 2013;23(7):838-46. Epub 2013/03/28. doi:10.1089/thy.2012.0359. PubMed PMID: 23531031.
Guerra A, Di Crescenzo V, Garzi A, et al. Genetic mutations in the treatment of anaplastic thyroid cancer: a systematic review. BMC surgery. 2013;13 Suppl 2:S44-S. PubMed PMID: MEDLINE:24267151.
Soares P, Lima J, Preto A, et al. Genetic alterations in poorly differentiated and undifferentiated thyroid carcinomas. Current genomics. 2011;12(8):609-17. doi: 10.2174/138920211798120853. PubMed PMID: 22654560; PubMed Central PMCID: PMC3271313.
Kebebew E, Greenspan FS, Clark OH, Woeber KA, Mcmillan A. Anaplastic thyroid carcinoma. Treatment outcome and prognostic factors. Cancer. 2005;103(7):1330-5. doi: 10.1002/cncr.20936. PubMed PMID: 15739211.
Akaishi J, Sugino K, Kitagawa W, et al. Prognostic factors and treatment outcomes of 100 cases of anaplastic thyroid carcinoma. Thyroid : official journal of the American Thyroid Association. 2011;21(11):1183-9. Epub 2011/09/23. doi: 10.1089/thy.2010.0332. PubMed PMID: 21936674.
Smallridge RC, Ain KB, Asa SL, et al. American Thyroid Association guidelines for management of patients with anaplastic thyroid cancer. Thyroid : official journal of the American Thyroid Association. 2012;22(11):1104-39. doi: 10.1089/thy.2012.0302. PubMed PMID:23130564.
Suh HJ, Moon HJ, Kwak JY, Choi JS, Kim E-K. Anaplastic Thyroid Cancer: Ultrasonographic Findings and the Role of Ultrasonography- Guided Fine Needle Aspiration Biopsy. Yonsei Medical Journal. 2013;54(6):1400-6. PubMed PMID: WOS:000326415500014.
Sugitani I, Kasai N, Fujimoto Y, Yanagisawa A. Prognostic factors and therapeutic strategy for anaplastic carcinoma of the thyroid. World journal of surgery. 2001;25(5):617-22. doi: 10.1007/s002680020166. PubMed PMID: 113699 89.
Sugitani I, Miyauchi A, Sugino K, Okamoto T, Yoshida A, Suzuki S. Prognostic factors and treatment outcomes for anaplastic thyroid carcinoma: ATC Research Consortium of Japan cohort study of 677 patients. World journal of surgery. 2012;36(6):1247-54. Epub 2012/02/09. doi: 10.1007/s00268-012-1437z. PubMed PMID: 22311136.
Smallridge RC. Approach to the patient with anaplastic thyroid carcinoma. The Journal of clinical endocrinology and metabolism. 2012;97(8):2566-72. Epub 2012/08/08. doi: 10.1210/jc.2012-1314. PubMed PMID: 22869844; PubMed Central PMCID: PMCPmc3410281.
Haymart MR, Banerjee M, Yin H, Worden F, Griggs JJ. Marginal treatment benefit in anaplastic thyroid cancer. Cancer. 2013;119(17):3133-9. PubMed PMID:WOS:000323255600006.
Rajeev P, Ezzat T, Slade M, Sadler GP, Mihai R. Tracheal Stenting has Minimal Impact on Survival in Anaplastic Thyroid Carcinoma. World journal of surgery. 2013;37(11):2589-93. PubMed PMID: WOS:000327222200016.
Nagaiah G, Hossain A, Mooney CJ, Parmentier J, Remick SC. Anaplastic thyroid cancer: a review of epidemiology, pathogenesis, and treatment. Journal of oncology. 2011;2011:542358. doi: 10.1155/2011/542358. PubMed PMID: 21772843; PubMed Central PMCID: PMC3136148.
Lowe NM, Loughran S, Slevin NJ, Yap BK. Anaplastic Thyroid Cancer: The Addition of Systemic Chemotherapy to Radiotherapy Led to an Observed Improvement in Survival-A Single Centre Experience and the Review of the Literature. Scientific World Journal. 2014. PubMed PMID: WOS:000332252600001.
Lang BH, Lo CY. Surgical options in undifferentiated thyroid carcinoma. World journal of surgery. 2007;31(5):969-77. doi: 10.1007/s00268-007-0776-7. PubMed PMID: 17483987.
Segerhammar I, Larsson C, Nilsson IL, et al. Anaplastic carcinoma of the thyroid gland: treatment and outcome over 13 years at one institution. Journal of surgical oncology. 2012;106(8):981-6. Epub 2012/06/08. doi: 10.1002/jso.23177. PubMed PMID: 22674491.
Orita Y, Sugitani I, Amemiya T, Fujimoto Y. Prospective application of our novel prognostic index in the treatment of anaplastic thyroid carcinoma. Surgery. 2011;150(6):1212-9. Epub 2011/12/06. doi: 10.1016/j.surg.2011.09.005. PubMed PMID: 22136842.
Isham CR, Bossou AR, Negron V, et al. Pazopanib Enhances Paclitaxel-Induced Mitotic Catastrophe in Anaplastic Thyroid Cancer. Science Translational Medicine. 2013;5(166). PubMed PMID: WOS:000313047400004.
Catalano MG, Poli R, Pugliese M, Fortunati N, Boccuzzi G. Emerging molecular therapies of advanced thyroid cancer. Molecular aspects of medicine. 2010;31(2):215-26. doi: 10.1016/j.mam.2010.02.006. PubMed PMID: 20176050.
Antonelli A, Fallahi P, Ulisse S, et al. New targeted therapies for anaplastic thyroid cancer. Anti-cancer agents in medicinal chemistry. 2012;12(1):87-93. Epub 2011/11/03. PubMed PMID: 2204399 2.
Savvides P, Nagaiah G, Lavertu P, et al. Phase II Trial of Sorafenib in Patients with Advanced Anaplastic Carcinoma of the Thyroid. Thyroid : official journal of the American Thyroid Association. 2013;23(5):600-4. PubMed PMID: WOS:000318220700010.
Bible KC, Suman VJ, Menefee ME, et al. A multiinstitutional phase 2 trial of pazopanib monotherapy in advanced anaplastic thyroid cancer. The Journal of clinical endocrinology and metabolism. 2012;97(9):3179-84. Epub 2012/07/10. doi: 10.1210/jc.2012-1520. PubMed PMID: 22774206; PubMed Central PMCID: PMCPmc3431569.
Hollebecque A, Massard C, Soria Jc. Vascular disrupting agents: a delicate balance between efficacy and side effects. Current opinion in oncology. 2012;24(3):305-15. Epub 2012/03/14. doi: 10.1097/CCO.0b013e32835249de. PubMed PMID: 22410458.
Sosa JA, Balkissoon J, Lu SP, et al. Thyroidectomy followed by fosbretabulin (CA4P) combination regimen appears to suggest improvement in patient survival in anaplastic thyroid cancer. Surgery. 2012;152(6):1078-87. Epub 2012/11/20. doi: 10.1016/j.surg.2012.08.036. PubMed PMID: 23158178.
Sosa JA, Elisei R, Jarzab B, et al. Randomized Safety and Efficacy Study of Fosbretabulin with Paclitaxel/Carboplatin Against Anaplastic Thyroid Carcinoma. Thyroid : official journal of the American Thyroid Association. 2014;24(2):232-40. PubMed PMID: WOS:000331245300007.
Wunderlich A, Fischer M, Schlosshauer T, et al. Evaluation of Aurora kinase inhibition as a new therapeutic strategy in anaplastic and poorly differentiated follicular thyroid cancer. Cancer science. 2011;102(4):762-8. Epub 2011/01/11. doi: 10.1111/j.1349-7006.2011.01853.x. PubMed PMID: 21214672.
Libertini S, Abagnale A, Passaro C, et al. AZD1152 negatively affects the growth of anaplastic thyroid carcinoma cells and enhances the effects of oncolytic virus dl922-947. Endocrine-related cancer. 2011;18(1):129-41. Epub 2010/11/13. doi: 10.1677/erc-10-0234. PubMed PMID: 21071467.
Altmann A, Markert A, Askoxylakis V, et al. Antitumor effects of proteasome inhibition in anaplastic thyroid carcinoma. Journal of nuclear medicine : official publication, Society of Nuclear Medicine. 2012;53(11):1764-71. Epub 2012/10/12. doi: 10.2967/jnumed.111.101295. PubMed PMID: 23055533.
Catalano MG, Pugliese M, Gargantini E, et al. Cytotoxic activity of the histone deacetylase inhibitor panobinostat (LBH589) in anaplastic thyroid cancer in vitro and in vivo. International journal of cancer Journal international du cancer. 2012;130(3):694-704. Epub 2011/03/15. doi: 10.1002/ijc.26057. PubMed PMID: 21400508.
Catalano MG, Fortunati N, Pugliese M, et al. Histone deacetylase inhibition modulates E-cadherin expression and suppresses migration and invasion of anaplastic thyroid cancer cells. The Journal of clinical endocrinology and metabolism. 2012;97(7):E1150-9. Epub 2012/05/09. doi: 10.1210/jc.2011-2970. PubMed PMID: 22563106.
Pugliese M, Fortunati N, Germano A, et al. Histone deacetylase inhibition affects sodium iodide symporter expression and induces 131I cytotoxicity in anaplastic thyroid cancer cells. Thyroid : official journal of the American Thyroid Association. 2013;23(7):838-46. Epub 2013/03/28. doi:10.1089/thy.2012.0359. PubMed PMID: 23531031.
Guerra A, Di Crescenzo V, Garzi A, et al. Genetic mutations in the treatment of anaplastic thyroid cancer: a systematic review. BMC surgery. 2013;13 Suppl 2:S44-S. PubMed PMID: MEDLINE:24267151.
Soares P, Lima J, Preto A, et al. Genetic alterations in poorly differentiated and undifferentiated thyroid carcinomas. Current genomics. 2011;12(8):609-17. doi: 10.2174/138920211798120853. PubMed PMID: 22654560; PubMed Central PMCID: PMC3271313.
Kebebew E, Greenspan FS, Clark OH, Woeber KA, Mcmillan A. Anaplastic thyroid carcinoma. Treatment outcome and prognostic factors. Cancer. 2005;103(7):1330-5. doi: 10.1002/cncr.20936. PubMed PMID: 15739211.
Akaishi J, Sugino K, Kitagawa W, et al. Prognostic factors and treatment outcomes of 100 cases of anaplastic thyroid carcinoma. Thyroid : official journal of the American Thyroid Association. 2011;21(11):1183-9. Epub 2011/09/23. doi: 10.1089/thy.2010.0332. PubMed PMID: 21936674.
Published
2017-10-10
How to Cite
VALENTE, Miguel F.; CAPELA-COSTA, João.
Anaplastic thyroid carcinoma: current trends and future perspectives.
Revista Portuguesa de Cirurgia, [S.l.], n. 41, p. 29 - 39, oct. 2017.
ISSN 2183-1165.
Available at: <https://revista.spcir.com/index.php/spcir/article/view/672>. Date accessed: 26 apr. 2024.
Section
Review Article
