title: Anaplastic transformation of thyroid cancer: review of clinical, pathologic, and molecular evidence provides new insights into disease biology and future therapy.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Anaplastic thyroid cancer ranks among the most lethal of all human malignancies. Its rarity and rapidly fatal course have made it a difficult cancer to both study and treat. Unfortunately, there has been little progress in the management and control of this malignancy. Anaplastic transformation, or the intratumoral evolution of anaplastic carcinoma from pre-existing differentiated thyroid cancer, has become a well-accepted process, despite a limited understanding of its underlying mechanisms.
  
  
  METHODS
  It is through review of the literature that an understanding of the aggressive disease biology can be developed. The aim of this review is to evaluate the relevant clinical, pathologic, and molecular studies to develop an insight into the mechanisms that underlie the intratumoral molecular evolution of anaplastic thyroid carcinoma.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  It is based on an understanding of this process that effective treatments for this aggressive malignancy are currently being developed.
authors.affiliation: Department of Head and Neck Surgical Oncology, Roswell Park Cancer Institute, Buffalo, New York, USA.
authors.forename: Sam M
authors.initials: SM
authors.lastname: Wiseman
authors.forename: Thom R
authors.initials: TR
authors.lastname: Loree
authors.forename: Nestor R
authors.initials: NR
authors.lastname: Rigual
authors.forename: Wesley L
authors.initials: WL
authors.lastname: Hicks
authors.forename: Wade G
authors.initials: WG
authors.lastname: Douglas
authors.forename: Garth R
authors.initials: GR
authors.lastname: Anderson
authors.forename: Daniel L
authors.initials: DL
authors.lastname: Stoler
mesh_terms: D002277:Carcinoma / Q000235:genetics / Q000473:pathology*; D002471:Cell Transformation, Neoplastic / Q000473:pathology*; D006801:Humans; D009154:Mutation; D013964:Thyroid Neoplasms / Q000235:genetics / Q000473:pathology*