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Updated: Jul 23, 2026
07:01
An Orthotopic Mouse Model of Anaplastic Thyroid Carcinoma
Published on: April 17, 2013
Anaplastic thyroid carcinoma: a 50-year experience at a single institution
B McIver1, I D Hay, D F Giuffrida
1Department of Medicine, Mayo Clinic & Foundation, Rochester, MN 55905, USA.
Surgery
|December 14, 2001
Summary
Anaplastic thyroid carcinoma (ATC) is aggressive, with a grim outlook despite aggressive treatments. This 50-year study found no survival benefit from surgery extent, resection completeness, or multimodal therapy for ATC patients.
Area of Science:
- Oncology
- Endocrinology
- Pathology
Background:
- Anaplastic thyroid carcinoma (ATC) is a highly aggressive human malignancy.
- Large studies of histologically defined ATC are scarce.
- This study presents a 50-year experience with ATC.
Purpose of the Study:
- To analyze a 50-year experience with histologically defined anaplastic thyroid carcinoma.
- To evaluate treatment outcomes and survival rates for ATC patients.
Main Methods:
- Retrospective review of 134 ATC cases managed between 1949 and 1999.
- Pathologic material reviewed by a single pathologist.
- Clinical data and patient outcomes were systematically collected.
Main Results:
- The study included 134 ATC cases (67% female, mean age 67).
- 20% had coexisting benign thyroid disease, 23% had well-differentiated thyroid carcinoma.
- 46% presented with distant metastases; 98% were locally invasive.
- Surgical treatment was primary for 72% of patients.
- Neither surgical extent nor completeness of resection impacted survival.
- Postoperative radiotherapy and multimodal therapy did not significantly improve survival.
Conclusions:
- The prognosis for patients with anaplastic thyroid carcinoma remains poor.
- Current treatment strategies offer limited survival benefits.
- Novel therapeutic approaches for ATC are urgently required.
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