title: Vandetanib for the treatment of thyroid cancer: an update.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Medullary thyroid carcinoma (MTC) is a rare endocrine malignancy accounting for a significant percentage of thyroid cancer-related fatal events. Traditional treatment modalities used in the other types of thyroid carcinomas have been proved largely ineffective in advanced MTC. Better understanding of the molecular pathways implicated in the pathogenesis of MTC has led to the development of new drugs, which are implicated in the disruption of these molecular cascades.
  
  
  METHODS
  This review provides the latest information regarding vandetanib , a new tyrosine kinase inhibitor mainly in the treatment of MTC. A collection of available data was conducted using the PubMed database as well as the ClinicalTrials.gov website, searching for vandetanib and thyroid cancer.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Vandetanib targets multiple cell-signaling pathways involved in the molecular pathogenesis of thyroid cancer, namely vascular endothelial growth factor receptor-2, epidermal growth factor receptor and rearranged during transfection receptor. It is an effective approach in treating advanced MTC. However, treatment toxicity issues, as well as individual patient parameters, including disease burden and progression, should be taken into consideration before initiating vandetanib treatment.
authors: Panagia General Hospital, Department of Endocrinology, Diabetes and Metabolism , Venizelou 34b 55535, Thessaloniki , Greece +30 2310324863 ; +30 2310324863 ; karraspiros@yahoo.gr.
authors: Spyridon
authors: S
authors: Karras
authors: Panagiotis
authors: P
authors: Anagnostis
authors: Gerasimos E
authors: GE
authors: Krassas
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D018278:Carcinoma, Neuroendocrine; D017322:Clinical Trials, Phase II as Topic; D017326:Clinical Trials, Phase III as Topic; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D004353:Drug Evaluation, Preclinical; D004815:Epidermal Growth Factor / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D006801:Humans; D010880:Piperidines / Q000737:chemistry / Q000493:pharmacokinetics* / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D047428:Protein Kinase Inhibitors / Q000493:pharmacokinetics / Q000627:therapeutic use; D011799:Quinazolines / Q000737:chemistry / Q000493:pharmacokinetics* / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D016032:Randomized Controlled Trials as Topic; D013964:Thyroid Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy*; D014162:Transfection; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D040301:Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor Receptor-2 / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D010880:Piperidines; D047428:Protein Kinase Inhibitors; D011799:Quinazolines; D004815:Epidermal Growth Factor; D040301:Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor Receptor-2; C452423:vandetanib