title: Prognostic Factors for Survival in Patients Treated with Multimodal Therapy for Anaplastic Thyroid Cancer.
abstract: To identify predictors of survival after multimodal treatment including surgery plus postoperative radio(chemo)therapy) for anaplastic thyroid cancer.
  
  
  
  Nine potential factors were evaluated in nine patients regarding survival after 6, 12 and 24 months. These factors were age, gender, Karnofsky performance score, tumour stage, nodal stage, resection margin status, radiation dose, concurrent chemotherapy administered with irradiation and symptom control at the end of radiotherapy.
  
  
  
  Survival rates were 67% at 6 months, 56% at 12 months and 22% at 24 months. On univariate survival analysis, concurrent radiochemotherapy (p=0.018) and controlled symptoms at the end of radiotherapy (p=0.03) were associated with improved survival. A trend for better survival was seen in patients with microscopically (R1) versus macroscopically (R2) residual disease (p=0.058).
  
  
  
  Prognostic factors for survival after multimodal treatment for anaplastic thyroid cancer were identified. Concurrent radio-chemotherapy resulted in significantly better survival and should be recommended.
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiation Oncology, University of Lübeck, Lübeck, Germany LKaesmann@gmail.com.
authors.forename: Lukas
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Käsmann
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiation Oncology, University of Lübeck, Lübeck, Germany.
authors.forename: Louisa
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Bolm
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiation Oncology, University of Lübeck, Lübeck, Germany Medical Practice for Radiotherapy and Radiation Oncology, Hannover, Germany.
authors.forename: Stefan
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Janssen
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiation Oncology, University of Lübeck, Lübeck, Germany.
authors.forename: Dirk
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Rades
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D059248:Chemoradiotherapy / Q000379:methods*; D003131:Combined Modality Therapy; D018572:Disease-Free Survival; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D053208:Kaplan-Meier Estimate; D017567:Karnofsky Performance Status; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009367:Neoplasm Staging; D011379:Prognosis; D065646:Thyroid Carcinoma, Anaplastic / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000473:pathology / Q000532:radiotherapy* / Q000601:surgery; D016896:Treatment Outcome
keywords: Anaplastic thyroid cancer; irradiation; multimodal treatment; outcomes; predictive factors