Anaplastic thyroid carcinoma: palliation or treatment?
OBJECTIVE
To review the recent published literature on the topic of anaplastic thyroid carcinoma and discern if significant advances have occurred that alter the historically poor prognosis associated with this diagnosis.


RESULTS
Surgical resection for patients with stage IVA disease (intra-thyroidal without extracapsular extension) with postoperative chemoradiation remains the standard recommendation. Care for patients with stage IVB disease, extrathyroidal spread without distant metastases, remains varied and controversial. Research into different molecular therapies (deacetylase inhibitors, tubulin binding compounds, etc.) and the pathogenesis of anaplastic carcinoma continues to evolve. Care for patients with metastatic disease, stage IVC, is focused on quality of life.


CONCLUSIONS
Although occasional reports exist of long-term survivors with anaplastic thyroid carcinoma, the prognosis remains poor. Accurate staging is critical to offering the most appropriate treatment. Multimodality treatment is required if prolonged locoregional control or survival is desired.
Department of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, Tufts Medical Center, Boston, Massachusetts 02111, USA. rwein@tuftsmedicalcenter.org
Richard O
RO
Wein
Randal S
RS
Weber
D017024:Chemotherapy, Adjuvant; D003131:Combined Modality Therapy; D018572:Disease-Free Survival; D006801:Humans; D009367:Neoplasm Staging; D010166:Palliative Care; D011379:Prognosis; D011788:Quality of Life; D018714:Radiotherapy, Adjuvant; D065646:Thyroid Carcinoma, Anaplastic; D013964:Thyroid Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000473:pathology / Q000532:radiotherapy / Q000601:surgery*