A Contemporary Review of the Treatment of Medullary Thyroid Carcinoma in the Era of New Drug Therapies

Carolyn D Seib; Thomas C Beck; Electron Kebebew

doi:10.1016/j.soc.2022.10.002

A Contemporary Review of the Treatment of Medullary Thyroid Carcinoma in the Era of New Drug Therapies

Surg Oncol Clin N Am. 2023 Apr;32(2):233-250. doi: 10.1016/j.soc.2022.10.002.

Authors

Carolyn D Seib¹, Thomas C Beck², Electron Kebebew³

Affiliations

¹ Surgery Policy Improvement Research and Education Center (S-SPIRE), Stanford University School of Medicine, 300 Pasteur Drive H3642, Stanford, CA 94305, USA; Department of Surgery, Stanford University, School of Medicine, 300 Pasteur Drive H3642, Stanford, CA 94305, USA.
² Department of Surgery, Stanford University, School of Medicine, 300 Pasteur Drive H3642, Stanford, CA 94305, USA.
³ Department of Surgery, Stanford University, School of Medicine, 300 Pasteur Drive H3642, Stanford, CA 94305, USA. Electronic address: kebebew@stanford.edu.

PMID: 36925182
DOI: 10.1016/j.soc.2022.10.002

Abstract

Medullary thyroid cancer (MTC) is a rare neuroendocrine tumor that can be sporadic or inherited and is often associated with mutations in the RET (Rearranged during Transfection) oncogene. The primary treatment for MTC is surgical resection of all suspected disease, but recent advances in targeted therapies for MTC, including the selective RET inhibitors selpercatinib and pralsetinib, have led to changes in the management of patients with locally advanced, metastatic, or recurrent MTC. In this article, we review updates on the evaluation and management of patients with MTC, focusing on new and emerging therapies that are likely to improve patient outcomes.

Keywords: Lymph node dissection; Medullary thyroid cancer; Medullary thyroid carcinoma; Neuroendocrine tumor; RET; Targeted therapy; Thyroidectomy.

Publication types

Review

MeSH terms

Carcinoma, Medullary* / genetics
Carcinoma, Medullary* / pathology
Carcinoma, Medullary* / surgery
Carcinoma, Neuroendocrine* / drug therapy
Carcinoma, Neuroendocrine* / genetics
Humans
Proto-Oncogene Mas
Thyroid Neoplasms* / drug therapy
Thyroid Neoplasms* / genetics

Substances

Proto-Oncogene Mas

Supplementary concepts

Thyroid cancer, medullary