Role of tyrosine kinase inhibitor therapy in anaplastic thyroid cancer
Background: Anaplastic thyroid cancer (ATC) is an orphan disease with an extremely poor prognosis. Radical surgery is possible only for stage IVA anaplastic thyroid cancer, and no effective treatments are available for stage IVB or IVC anaplastic thyroid cancer. The response rate of the disease to cytotoxic chemotherapy has been previously reported as unsatisfactory. Objective: In 2015, lenvatinib was approved and reimbursed for anaplastic thyroid cancer in Japan, including radioactive iodine-refractory differentiated thyroid cancer.