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Contemporary Management of Anaplastic Thyroid Cancer

  • Head and Neck Cancer (CP Rodriguez, Section Editor)
  • Published:
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Opinion statement

Anaplastic thyroid cancer (ATC) is a rare but very aggressive form of undifferentiated thyroid cancer. Due to its rapid rate of progression and invasive nature, ATC poses significant risks of morbidity and mortality. The cornerstone in the management of ATC remains a prompt diagnosis of the disease and timely management of complications depending on the stage of disease. Surgery continues to offer a higher chance of a cure, although not all patients are candidates for surgical management. Patients with advanced disease may be considered for palliative surgery to reduce morbidity and complications from advanced disease. With the advent of new molecular testing and improved methods of diagnosis, novel therapeutic targets have been identified. Systemic therapy (chemotherapy and radiation therapy) as well as novel immunotherapy have shown some promise in patients with targetable genetic mutations. Patients should therefore have molecular testing of their tumor—if it is unresectable—and be tested for mutations that are targetable. Mutation-targeted therapy may be effective and may result in a significant response to allow surgical intervention for exceptional responders. Overall, patients who receive all three modalities of therapy (surgery, chemotherapy, and radiation therapy) have the highest overall survival.

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Abbreviations

ATC:

Anaplastic thyroid cancer

DTC:

Differentiated thyroid cancer

PDTC:

Poorly differentiated thyroid cancer

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Division of General Surgery, Department of Surgery, Stanford University School of Medicine, 300 Pasteur Drive, H3591, Stanford, CA, 94305, USA

    Wilson Alobuia MD & Electron Kebebew MD

  2. Division of General Surgery, Department of Surgery, Albany Medical College, 43 New Scotland Avenue, MC – 61, Albany, NY, 12208, USA

    Andrea Gillis MD

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  1. Wilson Alobuia MD
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  2. Andrea Gillis MD
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  3. Electron Kebebew MD
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Correspondence to Electron Kebebew MD.

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Alobuia, W., Gillis, A. & Kebebew, E. Contemporary Management of Anaplastic Thyroid Cancer. Curr. Treat. Options in Oncol. 21, 78 (2020). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11864-020-00776-2

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