Thyroid cancer clinical trials in the United States: Understanding trends to maximize impact

We sought to understand thyroid cancer study modalities, publications, and grants. This provides scope, resources, and dissemination patterns to inform future directions for research and policy.

A retrospective study of thyroid cancer trials using ClinicalTrials.gov was performed. Publication and grant awards were sourced using PubMed.gov and NIH RePORTER, respectively.

Seventy-three thyroid cancer trials were identified out of 217 000 from 1998 to 2015. Drugs were studied in 96% of all trials. Only 14% of all trials included radiation, and 4% included surgery. Only 29% of trials published their results, NIH funding was reported for 26% of trials. Total funding was $1 845 567 484 (average award: $97135131).

This study is the first to prove that drug trials predominate in thyroid cancer and quantify NIH dollars awarded. Radiation and surgery are underrepresented, despite being standard of care. We recommend better balance of therapeutics and peer-reviewed reporting of positive and negative results.

Level 1a evidence.