title: The emerging role of sunitinib in the treatment of advanced epithelial thyroid cancer: our experience and review of literature.
abstract: Tyrosine kinase receptors have been shown to play an important role in epithelial thyroid tumor growth and angiogenesis. Thyroid cancers commonly present oncogene mutations involved in MAPK kinase pathway like BRAF and RET; they are also frequently dependent on VEGF stimuli. Preliminary clinical experiences suggest a promising role of sunitinib (a tyrosine kinase inhibitor) for the treatment of advanced thyroid cancers. This review deals with the available data on the effect of sunitinib in the treatment of metastatic, radioiodine refractory thyroid cancers. We also report our experience with the off-label use of sunitinib in such patients.
authors.affiliation: Geriatric Unit, Department of Internal Medicine, University Hospital of Pisa, Via Roma 67, 56126-Pisa, Italy.
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Pasqualetti
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Ricci
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Dardano
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Ferdeghini
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Del Tacca
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Monzani
mesh_terms: D000970:Antineoplastic Agents / Q000737:chemistry / Q000493:pharmacokinetics / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D002986:Clinical Trials as Topic; D006801:Humans; D007211:Indoles / Q000737:chemistry / Q000493:pharmacokinetics / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D020929:Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinase Kinases / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors / Q000378:metabolism; D047428:Protein Kinase Inhibitors / Q000737:chemistry / Q000493:pharmacokinetics / Q000627:therapeutic use; D011758:Pyrroles / Q000737:chemistry / Q000493:pharmacokinetics / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D000077210:Sunitinib; D013964:Thyroid Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy*
chemical_list: D000970:Antineoplastic Agents; D007211:Indoles; D047428:Protein Kinase Inhibitors; D011758:Pyrroles; D020929:Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinase Kinases; D000077210:Sunitinib