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Chemotherapy and multimodality treatment in thyroid carcinoma
E T Ekman1, G Lundell, J Tennvall
1Department of General Oncology, Radiumhemmet, Karolinska Hospital, Stockholm, Sweden.
Otolaryngologic Clinics of North America
|June 1, 1990
Summary
Multimodality treatment including chemotherapy and radiotherapy offers local tumor control for anaplastic giant cell thyroid carcinoma. Differentiated thyroid carcinoma response to chemotherapy is limited and currently unpredictable.
Area of Science:
- Oncology
- Endocrinology
Background:
- Anaplastic giant cell thyroid carcinoma (AGCT) is an aggressive thyroid malignancy.
- Differentiated thyroid carcinoma (DTC) has a variable response to systemic therapies.
Purpose of the Study:
- To evaluate the efficacy of multimodality treatment for thyroid carcinoma.
- To assess the role of chemotherapy in advanced thyroid cancer.
Main Methods:
- Combination of pre- and postoperative chemotherapy and radiotherapy for AGCT.
- Assessment of chemotherapy response in DTC.
Main Results:
- The majority of AGCT patients achieve local tumor control with multimodality treatment.
- A small subset of DTC patients may benefit from chemotherapy, but identifying them is currently not possible.
- Doxorubicin, cisplatin, and VP16 are considered effective chemotherapy agents for advanced thyroid carcinoma, but severe side effects can occur.
Conclusions:
- Multimodality treatment is effective for local control of AGCT.
- Chemotherapy for advanced thyroid carcinoma is not routinely recommended due to limited efficacy in most DTC cases and potential severe side effects.
- Further research is needed to identify DTC patients who would benefit from chemotherapy.