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Updated: May 9, 2026
Spontaneous Murine Model of Anaplastic Thyroid Cancer
Published on: February 3, 2023
Marginal treatment benefit in anaplastic thyroid cancer
Megan R Haymart1, Mousumi Banerjee, Huiying Yin
1Department of Medicine, Division of Metabolism, Endocrinology, and Diabetes, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan; Department of Medicine, Division of Hematology/Oncology, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan.
Background:
Because anaplastic thyroid cancer is a rare malignancy with a high mortality rate, the benefit of multimodality treatment was evaluated.
Methods:
Overall survival was determined in the 2742 patients captured by the National Cancer Database who were diagnosed with anaplastic thyroid cancer between 1998 and 2008. Kaplan-Meier analysis and then Cox proportional hazard regression was performed, controlling for patient characteristics and treatment.
Results:
Only older age (adjusted hazard ratio [AHR] for ≥ 85 years = 3.43, 95% confidence interval [CI] = 2.34-5.03; for 75-84 years, AHR = 2.85, 95% CI = 1.97-4.11; for 65-74 years, AHR = 2.20, 95% CI = 1.53-3.15; for 45-64 years, AHR = 2.08, 95% CI = 1.47-2.95) and omission of treatment were associated with greater mortality (omission of surgery: AHR = 1.79, 95% CI = 1.61-1.99; omission of radiation therapy: AHR = 1.56; 95% CI = 1.41-1.73; and omission of chemotherapy: AHR = 1.28, 95% CI = 1.15-1.43). In subgroup analysis of patients with American Joint Committee on Cancer stage IVA, IVB, and IVC anaplastic thyroid cancer, combination therapy with surgery, radiation, and chemotherapy was associated a difference in median survival of months.
Conclusions:
Multimodality management of anaplastic thyroid cancer results in a marginal treatment benefit. The poor overall survival of all anaplastic thyroid cancer patients, regardless of treatment, emphasizes the need for informed patients whose preferences are incorporated into treatment decision-making.
