Overview of Genetically Engineered Mouse Models of Papillary and Anaplastic Thyroid Cancers: Enabling Translational Biology for Patient Care Improvement

Abstract

The prognosis from thyroid cancer subtypes in humans covers a spectrum from "cured at almost 90%" to "100% lethal." Invasive and poorly differentiated forms of thyroid cancer are among the most aggressive human cancers, and there are few effective therapeutic options. Genetically engineered mice, based on mutations observed in patients, can accurately recapitulate the human disease and its progression, providing invaluable tools for the preclinical evaluation of novel therapeutic approaches. This overview details models developed to date as well as their uses for identifying novel anticancer agents.

Keywords: BRAF mutations; cancer model; genetically engineered mice; papillary and anaplastic thyroid cancer; pre-clinical platform.