New approaches in the management of radioiodine-refractory thyroid cancer: the molecular targeted therapy era

Discov Med. 2010 Feb;9(45):153-62.

Abstract

Although thyroid carcinoma usually has an excellent prognosis, the lack of therapeutic options is an issue for patients that develop metastases and are resistant to radioiodine therapy. The development of novel molecular targeted therapies and the characterization of several proteins that have a crucial role in the carcinogenesis process of differentiated thyroid cancer have created an opportunity to design new clinical trials for this setting. Moreover, the encouraging initial results of first clinical trials have accelerated the development of placebo-controlled phase III studies that will assess the role of these new agents in the management of differentiated thyroid cancer.

Publication types

  • Review

MeSH terms

  • Antineoplastic Agents / pharmacology
  • Carcinoma / drug therapy
  • Carcinoma / radiotherapy
  • Clinical Trials as Topic
  • Enzyme Inhibitors / pharmacology
  • Gene Expression Regulation, Neoplastic*
  • Humans
  • Iodine Radioisotopes / therapeutic use*
  • Medical Oncology
  • Models, Biological
  • Placebos
  • Prognosis
  • Signal Transduction
  • Thyroid Neoplasms / drug therapy*
  • Thyroid Neoplasms / radiotherapy*
  • Treatment Outcome

Substances

  • Antineoplastic Agents
  • Enzyme Inhibitors
  • Iodine Radioisotopes
  • Placebos