Related Experiment Video
Updated: May 25, 2026
05:39
Spontaneous Murine Model of Anaplastic Thyroid Cancer
Published on: February 3, 2023
Sorafenib in metastatic thyroid cancer
Jaume Capdevila1, Lara Iglesias, Irene Halperin
1Medical Oncology Department, Vall d'Hebron University Hospital, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain. jacapdevila@vhebron.net
Endocrine-Related Cancer
|January 31, 2012
Summary
Sorafenib demonstrated antitumor efficacy across all thyroid cancer subtypes, including differentiated, medullary, and anaplastic types, in a retrospective analysis of refractory metastatic thyroid cancer patients. This finding supports further investigation of sorafenib for advanced thyroid cancer treatment.
Area of Science:
- Oncology
- Pharmacology
- Endocrinology
Background:
- Thyroid cancer often has an excellent prognosis, but therapeutic options are limited for refractory cases.
- Tyrosine kinase inhibitors (TKIs) show promise in early studies for advanced thyroid cancer.
- Sorafenib is a TKI investigated for its efficacy in various advanced cancers.
Purpose of the Study:
- To evaluate the efficacy and safety of sorafenib in patients with progressive metastatic thyroid cancer.
- To assess objective response rate (RR), progression-free survival (PFS), and overall survival (OS).
- To explore the correlation between tumor marker levels and treatment efficacy.
Main Methods:
- Retrospective analysis of 34 patients with progressive metastatic thyroid cancer (papillary, follicular, medullary, anaplastic) treated with sorafenib (400 mg twice daily).
- Patients were not candidates for curative surgery, radioactive-iodine therapy, or radiotherapy.
- Data collected included objective response rate, toxicity, PFS, OS, and changes in tumor markers (thyroglobulin, calcitonin, CEA).
Main Results:
- Overall, 11 patients (32%) achieved partial response and 14 (41%) had stable disease >6 months.
- Response rates varied by subtype: 47% for medullary thyroid carcinoma (MTC), 19% for differentiated thyroid carcinoma (DTC), and 33% for anaplastic thyroid carcinoma (ATC).
- Median PFS was 13.5 months for DTC, 10.5 months for MTC, and 4.4 months for ATC. A significant association was found between RR and >50% decrease in tumor markers (P=0.033).
Conclusions:
- Sorafenib demonstrated antitumor activity in all histological subtypes of metastatic thyroid cancer.
- The drug showed efficacy in refractory settings where other treatment options were exhausted.
- Further clinical development of sorafenib for advanced thyroid cancer is warranted based on these findings.
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