title: Targeted therapy for thyroid cancer: An updated review of investigational agents.
abstract: The treatment of thyroid cancer is evolving. The molecular mechanisms of carcinogenesis for many thyroid cancers have been investigated, and have yielded targets for potential therapies. These targets include VEGFR in the treatment of all thyroid cancers, BRAF in the treatment of papillary thyroid cancer, and RET in the treatment of medullary thyroid cancer (MTC). Many promising drugs that target one or more of these proteins are currently being evaluated, including sorafenib and sunitinib, both of which are still under development for the treatment of thyroid cancer but which have been approved for use in other malignancies. In addition, compounds such as vandetanib (AstraZeneca plc) and XL-184 (Bristol-Myers Squibb Co/Exelixis Inc) have demonstrated activity in early-phase clinical trials of MTC and are being tested further in randomized trials.
authors.affiliation: Yale Cancer Center, 333 Cedar Street, FMP 124, New Haven, CT 06520, USA. hari.deshpande@yale.edu
authors.forename: Hari A
authors.initials: HA
authors.lastname: Deshpande
authors.forename: Scott N
authors.initials: SN
authors.lastname: Gettinger
authors.forename: Julie A
authors.initials: JA
authors.lastname: Sosa
mesh_terms: D000970:Antineoplastic Agents / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D002986:Clinical Trials as Topic; D015507:Drugs, Investigational / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D006801:Humans; D058990:Molecular Targeted Therapy / Q000379:methods*; D013964:Thyroid Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000532:radiotherapy / Q000601:surgery
chemical_list: D000970:Antineoplastic Agents; D015507:Drugs, Investigational