Related Experiment Video
Updated: May 21, 2026
Spontaneous Murine Model of Anaplastic Thyroid Cancer
Published on: February 3, 2023
Multimodal approach to anaplastic thyroid cancer
C Michele Burnison1, Stephen Lim
1Department of Radiation Oncology, Samuel Oschin Comprehensive Cancer Institute, Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, Los Angeles, California 90048, USA. burnisonc@cshs.org
Abstract:
Despite more than 50 years of research, the overall clinical outcomes of patients afflicted with anaplastic thyroid cancer remain dismal. Survival is limited by the dire consequences of an uncontrolled primary and the prevalence of overt or occult distant metastasis. Local control is influenced by multiple confounding variables, including the inherent biological aggressiveness of the disease and the seemingly insurmountable technical obstacles to both surgery and radiotherapy. In response to these challenges, revolutionary changes in the treatment paradigm over the last 20 years, specifically the adoption of a multimodal treatment strategy, suggest improvements in local control and short-term median survival and have changed the pattern of progression, even for patients presenting with locally advanced disease. For the first time there is attestation of even long-term survivorship for a few patients who harbor advanced local, but nonmetastatic, disease. The current challenge is to address the high incidence of apparent or occult distant metastasis. Newly developed targeted therapies are likely to change the treatment paradigm, and they hold the promise of being able eventually to make treatment with curative intent available to some patients.
Insights
Anaplastic thyroid cancer (ATC) treatment remains challenging, but multimodal strategies improve local control and survival. Targeted therapies offer future hope for curative intent in advanced ATC.
Area of Science:
- Oncology
- Thyroid Cancer Research
- Clinical Treatment Strategies
Background:
- Anaplastic thyroid cancer (ATC) historically has dismal clinical outcomes, with survival limited by aggressive primary tumors and metastasis.
- Challenges in local control stem from disease aggressiveness and technical difficulties in surgery and radiotherapy.
Purpose of the Study:
- To review the evolution of ATC treatment paradigms over the last 20 years.
- To highlight advancements in local control and survival through multimodal strategies.
- To discuss the potential of emerging targeted therapies for advanced ATC.
Main Methods:
- Review of historical and recent clinical data on anaplastic thyroid cancer management.
- Analysis of treatment strategies, including surgery, radiotherapy, and systemic therapies.
- Evaluation of survival outcomes and patterns of progression in ATC patients.
Main Results:
- Multimodal treatment strategies have improved local control and short-term median survival in ATC.
- A shift in progression patterns is observed, with some long-term survivorship noted in nonmetastatic advanced disease.
- Distant metastasis remains a significant challenge, impacting overall prognosis.
Conclusions:
- Current multimodal approaches offer improved outcomes for locally advanced ATC.
- Targeted therapies represent a promising frontier for achieving curative intent in ATC.
- Addressing distant metastasis is critical for further improving long-term survival in anaplastic thyroid cancer.
