Related Experiment Video
Updated: May 21, 2026
05:39
Spontaneous Murine Model of Anaplastic Thyroid Cancer
Published on: February 3, 2023
Vandetanib: in medullary thyroid cancer
1Adis, Auckland, New Zealand. demail@springer.com
Drugs
|June 22, 2012
Summary
Vandetanib significantly improved progression-free survival in patients with medullary thyroid cancer. This targeted therapy showed clinical benefits and was generally well-tolerated, with manageable side effects.
Area of Science:
- Oncology
- Pharmacology
Background:
- Medullary thyroid cancer (MTC) is a rare endocrine malignancy.
- Treatment options for advanced or metastatic MTC are limited.
- Targeted therapies offer a promising approach for MTC management.
Purpose of the Study:
- To evaluate the efficacy and safety of vandetanib in patients with unresectable, locally advanced or metastatic medullary thyroid cancer.
- To compare vandetanib with placebo in a large, randomized, double-blind, multinational trial (ZETA).
Main Methods:
- The ZETA trial enrolled 331 patients with medullary thyroid cancer.
- Patients received either vandetanib (300 mg daily) or placebo.
- Progression-free survival (PFS) was the primary endpoint, with secondary endpoints including objective response rate and time to pain worsening.
Main Results:
- Vandetanib demonstrated a statistically significant improvement in PFS compared to placebo over a median follow-up of 2 years.
- Secondary endpoints, including objective response rate and disease control rate, also favored vandetanib.
- Vandetanib showed benefits irrespective of RET mutation status in sporadic MTC patients.
Conclusions:
- Vandetanib provides significant clinical benefits for patients with advanced medullary thyroid cancer.
- The drug was generally well-tolerated, with manageable adverse events.
- QT interval prolongation is a key safety consideration for vandetanib therapy.
Related Concept Videos
02:57Targeted Cancer Therapies
The targeted cancer therapies, also known as “molecular targeted therapies,” take advantage of the molecular and genetic differences between the cancer cells and the normal cells. It needs a thorough understanding of the cancer cells to develop drugs that can target specific molecular aspects that drive the growth, progression, and spread of cancer cells without affecting the growth and survival of other normal cells in the body.
There are several types of targeted therapies against specific...
There are several types of targeted therapies against specific...
01:26Treatment for Pulmonary Arterial Hypertension: Receptor Tyrosine Kinase Inhibitors and Calcium Channel Blockers
Receptor tyrosine kinase inhibitors (TKIs) and calcium channel blockers (CCBs) are two critical categories of drugs employed in the treatment of pulmonary artery hypertension (PAH). PAH is a disease that causes high blood pressure in the pulmonary arteries, resulting in chest pain, fatigue, and shortness of breath.
TKIs, such as imatinib (Gleevec), are particularly effective in tackling the growth and mitogenic factors that become upregulated in PAH patients. These factors contribute to the...
TKIs, such as imatinib (Gleevec), are particularly effective in tackling the growth and mitogenic factors that become upregulated in PAH patients. These factors contribute to the...
03:03mTOR Signaling and Cancer Progression
The mammalian target of rapamycin or mTOR protein was discovered in 1994 due to its direct interaction with rapamycin. The protein gets its name from a yeast homolog called TOR. The mTOR protein complex in mammalian cells plays a major role in balancing anabolic processes such as the synthesis of proteins, lipids, and nucleotides and catabolic processes, such as autophagy in response to environmental cues, such as availability of nutrients and growth factors.
The mTOR pathway or the...
The mTOR pathway or the...