Anaplastic thyroid cancer, tumorigenesis and therapy.
BACKGROUND
Anaplastic thyroid cancer (ATC) is a fatal endocrine malignancy. Current therapy fails to significantly improve survival. Recent insights into thyroid tumorigenesis, post-malignant dedifferentiation and mode of metastatic activity offer new therapeutic strategies.


METHODS
An extensive literature search of Medline and Pubmed was conducted to include all published reports on ATC. Secondary articles were identified from key paper reference listings.


CONCLUSIONS
Significant progress, in the last 5 years, has been made outlining thyroid tumorigenesis and the progression to anaplasia. Continued identification and development of drug therapies is required to counter specific molecular targets responsible for the post-malignant dedifferentiation process and ultimately the fatal neoplastic phenotype.
O'Neill
J P
JP
The Department of Otolaryngology, The Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland, Beaumont Hospital, The Education and Research Building, Beaumont, Dublin 9, Ireland. joneill@rcsi.ie
Power
D
D
Condron
C
C
Bouchier-Hayes
D
D
Walsh
M
M
D000970:Antineoplastic Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D015820:Cadherins; D016213:Cyclins; D018450:Disease Progression; D066246:ErbB Receptors; D006801:Humans; D011878:Radiotherapy; D013964:Thyroid Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery*; D042461:Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A; D051176:beta Catenin
D000970:Antineoplastic Agents; D015820:Cadherins; D016213:Cyclins; D042461:Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A; D051176:beta Catenin; D066246:ErbB Receptors