New agent to treat advanced or metastasized thyroid cancer, its efficacy, safety, and mechanism.
BACKGROUND
Vandetanib is the first US Food and Drug Administration approved agent to treat advanced or metastasized thyroid cancer. To gain a better understanding of the drug, we conducted a systematic review of its efficacy and safety in patients with thyroid cancers.


METHODS
Trial data was retrieved from Pubmed, EMBASE, Medline, China National Knowledge Infrastructure, and the Cochrane database without restrictions on language. A systematic review of the literature was performed to assess median progression-free survival (PFS) and adverse events associated with vandetanib therapy for advanced or metastasized thyroid cancers.


RESULTS
Vandetanib statistically prolonged PFS in comparison with the placebo (30.5 vs. 19.3 months, hazard ratio 0.46), It even prolonged PFS in surgically unresectable or metastatic differentiated thyroid cancer cases compared with the placebo (11.1 vs. 5.9 months, hazard ratio 0.63). Rash, diarrhea, neutropenia, and hypertension were the most frequent side effects.


CONCLUSIONS
Vandetanib can significantly improve PFS. Though it has some side effects, it is still a promising agent in the treatment of advanced or metastasized thyroid cancer, especially in those with metastasized or advanced medullary thyroid carcinoma.
Division of Endocrinology, Department of Internal Medicine, Qilu Hospital of Shandong University Jinan, China.
Huan-Gao
HG
Zhu
Division of Endocrinology, Department of Internal Medicine, Shandong Provincial Qianfoshan Hospital Jinan, China.
Jun-Yu
JY
Zhao
Division of Endocrinology, Department of Internal Medicine, Shandong Provincial Qianfoshan Hospital Jinan, China.
Rui
R
Zhang
Division of Endocrinology, Department of Internal Medicine, Shandong Provincial Qianfoshan Hospital Jinan, China.
Lin
L
Liao
Division of Endocrinology, Department of Internal Medicine, Qilu Hospital of Shandong University Jinan, China.
Jian-Jun
JJ
Dong
Randomized controlled trial; thyroid cancer; vandetinib