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Oh Y, Park JH, Djunadi TA, Shah Z, Chung LIY, Chae YK. Deep response to a combination of mTOR inhibitor temsirolimus and dual immunotherapy of nivolumab/ipilimumab in poorly differentiated thyroid carcinoma with PTEN mutation: a case report and literature review. Front Endocrinol (Lausanne) 2024; 15:1304188. [PMID: 38356955 PMCID: PMC10864638 DOI: 10.3389/fendo.2024.1304188] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/29/2023] [Accepted: 01/15/2024] [Indexed: 02/16/2024] Open
Abstract
Treating advanced thyroid cancer presents challenges due to its resistance to various treatment modalities, thereby limiting therapeutic options. To our knowledge, this study is the first to report the efficacy of temsirolimus in conjunction with dual immunotherapy of nivolumab/ipilimumab to treat heavily treated advanced PDTC. A 50-year-old female initially presented with a rapidly enlarging mass on her right neck. Subsequent diagnosis revealed poorly differentiated thyroid carcinoma, leading to a total thyroidectomy followed by post-operative radioablation therapy. After four years, an examination for persistent cough revealed a recurrence of the disease within multiple mediastinal nodes. Genetic analysis of blood samples uncovered somatic mutations in the tumor, specifically involving PTEN and TP53. The disease progressed despite palliative radiation, lenvatinib, and nivolumab/ipilimumab therapy. Consequently, temsirolimus, functioning as an mTOR inhibitor, was introduced as an adjunct to the nivolumab/ipilimumab regimen. This combination approach yielded remarkable clinical improvement and disease control for a duration of approximately six months. Temsirolimus likely suppressed the aberrantly activated PI3K/AKT/mTOR signaling pathway, facilitated by the PTEN genetic alteration, thus engendering an effective treatment response. This synergy between targeted agents and immunotherapy presents a promising therapeutic strategy for advanced PDTC patients with limited treatment alternatives. In previous clinical trials, mTOR inhibitors have demonstrated the ability to maintain stable disease (SD) in 65% to 74% for advanced thyroid cancer patients, including those with PDTC. When combined with other targeted therapies, the observed SD or partial response rates range from 80% to 97%. Many of these trials primarily involved differentiated thyroid carcinoma, with diverse genetic mutations. Thyroid cancer patients with alterations in the PI3K/mTOR/Akt appeared to benefit most from mTOR inhibitors. However, no clear association between the efficacy of mTOR inhibitors and specific histologies or genetic mutations has been established. Future studies are warranted to elucidate these associations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Youjin Oh
- Feinberg School of Medicine, Northwestern University, Chicago, IL, United States
- Department of Medicine, John H. Stroger Jr. Hospital of Cook County, Chicago, IL, United States
| | - Joo Hee Park
- Feinberg School of Medicine, Northwestern University, Chicago, IL, United States
| | - Trie Arni Djunadi
- Feinberg School of Medicine, Northwestern University, Chicago, IL, United States
| | - Zunairah Shah
- Feinberg School of Medicine, Northwestern University, Chicago, IL, United States
| | - Liam Il-Young Chung
- Feinberg School of Medicine, Northwestern University, Chicago, IL, United States
| | - Young Kwang Chae
- Feinberg School of Medicine, Northwestern University, Chicago, IL, United States
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Abstract
The diagnostic modalities, stratification tools, and treatment options for patients with thyroid cancer have rapidly evolved since the development of the American Thyroid Association (ATA) guidelines in 2015. This review compiles newer concepts in diagnosis, stratification tools and treatment options for patients with differentiated thyroid cancer (DTC), medullary thyroid carcinoma (MTC) and anaplastic thyroid cancer (ATC). Newer developments apply precision medicine in thyroid cancer patients to avoid over-treatment in low risk disease and under-treatment in high risk disease. Among novel patient-tailored therapies are selective RET inhibitors that have shown efficacy in the treatment of MTC with limited systemic toxicity compared with non-specific tyrosine kinase inhibitors. The combination of BRAF and MEK inhibitors have revolutionized management of BRAF V600E mutant ATC. Several immunotherapeutic agents are being actively investigated in the treatment of all forms of thyroid cancer. In this review, we describe the recent advances in the diagnosis and management of DTC, MTC, and ATC, with an emphasis on novel treatment modalities.
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Affiliation(s)
- Katherine A. Araque
- Endocrinology Department, Pacific Neuroscience Institute, John Wayne Cancer Institute, Santa Monica, CA, USA
| | - Sriram Gubbi
- Metabolic Diseases Branch, National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases (NIDDK), National Institutes of Health (NIH), Bethesda, MD, USA
| | - Joanna Klubo-Gwiezdzinska
- Metabolic Diseases Branch, National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases (NIDDK), National Institutes of Health (NIH), Bethesda, MD, USA
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Cuomo F, Altucci L, Cobellis G. Autophagy Function and Dysfunction: Potential Drugs as Anti-Cancer Therapy. Cancers (Basel) 2019; 11:cancers11101465. [PMID: 31569540 PMCID: PMC6826381 DOI: 10.3390/cancers11101465] [Citation(s) in RCA: 45] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/17/2019] [Revised: 09/25/2019] [Accepted: 09/26/2019] [Indexed: 12/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Autophagy is a highly conserved catabolic and energy-generating process that facilitates the degradation of damaged organelles or intracellular components, providing cells with components for the synthesis of new ones. Autophagy acts as a quality control system, and has a pro-survival role. The imbalance of this process is associated with apoptosis, which is a “positive” and desired biological choice in some circumstances. Autophagy dysfunction is associated with several diseases, including neurodegenerative disorders, cardiomyopathy, diabetes, liver disease, autoimmune diseases, and cancer. Here, we provide an overview of the regulatory mechanisms underlying autophagy, with a particular focus on cancer and the autophagy-targeting drugs currently approved for use in the treatment of solid and non-solid malignancies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Francesca Cuomo
- Department of Precision Medicine, University of Campania "L. Vanvitelli", via L. De Crecchio, 7, 80138 Naples, Italy.
| | - Lucia Altucci
- Department of Precision Medicine, University of Campania "L. Vanvitelli", via L. De Crecchio, 7, 80138 Naples, Italy.
| | - Gilda Cobellis
- Department of Precision Medicine, University of Campania "L. Vanvitelli", via L. De Crecchio, 7, 80138 Naples, Italy.
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Schürch CM, Roelli MA, Forster S, Wasmer MH, Brühl F, Maire RS, Di Pancrazio S, Ruepp MD, Giger R, Perren A, Schmitt AM, Krebs P, Charles RP, Dettmer MS. Targeting CD47 in Anaplastic Thyroid Carcinoma Enhances Tumor Phagocytosis by Macrophages and Is a Promising Therapeutic Strategy. Thyroid 2019; 29:979-992. [PMID: 30938231 PMCID: PMC6648226 DOI: 10.1089/thy.2018.0555] [Citation(s) in RCA: 53] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
Abstract
Background: Anaplastic thyroid carcinoma (ATC) is one of the most aggressive human cancers, with a median survival of only three to six months. Standard treatment options and even targeted therapies have so far failed to improve long-term overall survival. Thus, novel treatment modalities for ATC, such as immunotherapy, are urgently needed. CD47 is a "don't eat me" signal, which prevents cancer cells from phagocytosis by binding to signal regulatory protein alpha on macrophages. So far, the role of macrophages and the CD47-signal regulatory protein alpha signaling axis in ATC is not well understood. Methods: This study analyzed 19 primary human ATCs for macrophage markers, CD47 expression, and immune checkpoints by immunohistochemistry. ATC cell lines and a fresh ATC sample were assessed by flow cytometry for CD47 expression and macrophage infiltration, respectively. CD47 was blocked in phagocytosis assays of co-cultured macrophages and ATC cell lines. Anti-CD47 antibody treatment was administered to ATC cell line xenotransplanted immunocompromised mice, as well as to tamoxifen-induced ATC double-transgenic mice. Results: Human ATC samples were heavily infiltrated by CD68- and CD163-expressing tumor-associated macrophages (TAMs), and expressed CD47 and calreticulin, the dominant pro-phagocytic molecule. In addition, ATC tissues expressed the immune checkpoint molecules programmed cell death 1 and programmed death ligand 1. Blocking CD47 promoted the phagocytosis of ATC cell lines by macrophages in vitro. Anti-CD47 antibody treatment of ATC xenotransplanted mice increased the frequency of TAMs, enhanced the expression of macrophage activation markers, augmented tumor cell phagocytosis, and suppressed tumor growth. In double-transgenic ATC mice, CD47 was expressed on tumor cells, and blocking CD47 increased TAM frequencies. Conclusions: Targeting CD47 or CD47 in combination with programmed cell death 1 may potentially improve the outcomes of ATC patients and may represent a valuable addition to the current standard of care.
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Affiliation(s)
- Christian M. Schürch
- Institute of Pathology, University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland
- Baxter Laboratory for Stem Cell Biology, Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, California
- Address correspondence to: Christian M. Schürch, MD, PhD, Baxter Laboratory for Stem Cell Biology, Stanford University School of Medicine, 269 Campus Drive, CCSR 3220, Stanford, CA 94305
| | - Matthias A. Roelli
- Institute of Biochemistry and Molecular Medicine, University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland
- Graduate School for Cellular and Biomedical Sciences, University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland
| | - Stefan Forster
- Institute of Pathology, University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland
- Graduate School for Cellular and Biomedical Sciences, University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland
- Department of BioMedical Research, University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland
| | - Marie-Hélène Wasmer
- Institute of Pathology, University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland
- Graduate School for Cellular and Biomedical Sciences, University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland
| | - Frido Brühl
- Institute of Pathology, University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland
| | - Renaud S. Maire
- Institute of Pathology, University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland
| | - Sergio Di Pancrazio
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland
| | - Marc-David Ruepp
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland
- United Kingdom Dementia Research Institute Centre, Department of Basic and Clinical Neuroscience, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neuroscience, Maurice Wohl Clinical Neuroscience Institute, King's College London, London, United Kingdom
| | - Roland Giger
- Department of Oto-Rhino-Laryngology, Head and Neck Surgery, Inselspital, Bern University Hospital and University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland
| | - Aurel Perren
- Institute of Pathology, University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland
| | - Anja M. Schmitt
- Institute of Pathology, University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland
| | - Philippe Krebs
- Institute of Pathology, University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland
| | - Roch-Philippe Charles
- Institute of Biochemistry and Molecular Medicine, University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland
| | - Matthias S. Dettmer
- Institute of Pathology, University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland
- Matthias S. Dettmer, MD, Institute of Pathology, University of Bern, Murtenstrasse 31, 3008 Bern, Switzerland
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Coelho RG, Fortunato RS, Carvalho DP. Metabolic Reprogramming in Thyroid Carcinoma. Front Oncol 2018; 8:82. [PMID: 29629339 PMCID: PMC5876306 DOI: 10.3389/fonc.2018.00082] [Citation(s) in RCA: 35] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/17/2017] [Accepted: 03/09/2018] [Indexed: 12/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Among all the adaptations of cancer cells, their ability to change metabolism from the oxidative to the glycolytic phenotype is a hallmark called the Warburg effect. Studies on tumor metabolism show that improved glycolysis and glutaminolysis are necessary to maintain rapid cell proliferation, tumor progression, and resistance to cell death. Thyroid neoplasms are common endocrine tumors that are more prevalent in women and elderly individuals. The incidence of thyroid cancer has increased in the Past decades, and recent findings describing the metabolic profiles of thyroid tumors have emerged. Currently, several drugs are in development or clinical trials that target the altered metabolic pathways of tumors are undergoing. We present a review of the metabolic reprogramming in cancerous thyroid tissues with a focus on the factors that promote enhanced glycolysis and the possible identification of promising metabolic targets in thyroid cancer.
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Affiliation(s)
- Raquel Guimaraes Coelho
- Laboratório de Fisiologia Endócrina, Instituto de Biofísica Carlos Chagas Filho, Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
| | - Rodrigo S. Fortunato
- Laboratório de Radiobiologia Molecular, Instituto de Biofísica Carlos Chagas Filho, Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
| | - Denise P. Carvalho
- Laboratório de Fisiologia Endócrina, Instituto de Biofísica Carlos Chagas Filho, Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
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Abstract
Thyroid cancer is the fifth most common cancer in women in the USA, and an estimated over 62 000 new cases occurred in men and women in 2015. The incidence continues to rise worldwide. Differentiated thyroid cancer is the most frequent subtype of thyroid cancer and in most patients the standard treatment (surgery followed by either radioactive iodine or observation) is effective. Patients with other, more rare subtypes of thyroid cancer-medullary and anaplastic-are ideally treated by physicians with experience managing these malignancies. Targeted treatments that are approved for differentiated and medullary thyroid cancers have prolonged progression-free survival, but these drugs are not curative and therefore are reserved for patients with progressive or symptomatic disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maria E Cabanillas
- Department of Endocrine Neoplasia and Hormonal Disorders, Division of Internal Medicine, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX, USA.
| | - David G McFadden
- Department of Internal Medicine, The University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX, USA
| | - Cosimo Durante
- Department of Internal Medicine and Medical Specialties, Sapienza University of Rome, Rome, Italy
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Cabanillas ME, Busaidy NL, Khan SA, Gunn GB, Dadu R, Rao SN, Waguespack SG. Molecular diagnostics and anaplastic thyroid carcinoma: the time has come to harvest the high hanging fruit. INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ENDOCRINE ONCOLOGY 2016. [DOI: 10.2217/ije-2016-0007] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Targeted therapies have played a major role in cancer therapeutics, starting with the discovery of a drug against BCR–ABL rearrangements in chronic myelogenous leukemia. This led to the first approval of a targeted agent in cancer and since, many others have followed. Anaplastic thyroid cancer (ATC) is an aggressive carcinoma with few curative options. Although previous cytotoxic chemotherapy and kinase inhibitor therapies have not proven efficacious in ATC, some of the newer drugs appear to be promising. A case report and a comprehensive review of the current standard of care, genetics, modern therapeutic drugs and clinical trials are presented, in order to outline where we currently stand and where the future lies in the quest for a cure for ATC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maria E Cabanillas
- Department of Endocrine Neoplasia & Hormonal Disorders, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center; Houston, TX, USA
| | - Naifa L Busaidy
- Department of Endocrine Neoplasia & Hormonal Disorders, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center; Houston, TX, USA
| | - Saad A Khan
- The University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX, USA
| | - G Brandon Gunn
- Department of Radiation Oncology, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center; Houston, TX, USA
| | - Ramona Dadu
- Department of Endocrine Neoplasia & Hormonal Disorders, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center; Houston, TX, USA
| | - Sarika N Rao
- Department of Endocrine Neoplasia & Hormonal Disorders, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center; Houston, TX, USA
| | - Steven G Waguespack
- Department of Endocrine Neoplasia & Hormonal Disorders, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center; Houston, TX, USA
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Bikas A, Vachhani S, Jensen K, Vasko V, Burman KD. Targeted therapies in thyroid cancer: an extensive review of the literature. Expert Rev Clin Pharmacol 2016; 9:1299-1313. [PMID: 27367142 DOI: 10.1080/17512433.2016.1204230] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/16/2022]
Abstract
INTRODUCTION Patients with progressive, metastatic, RAI-refractory differentiated thyroid cancer (DTC), as well as patients with advanced medullary (MTC) and anaplastic thyroid cancer represent a cohort for which therapeutic options are limited. The recent discoveries in the molecular mechanisms implicated in TC have provided insight of the pathogenesis and progression of disease. In that respect, targeted therapies have emerged as a promising alternative for the treatment of those patients. Areas covered: Tyrosine Kinase Inhibitors (TKIs) have been studied extensively in TC: sorafenib and lenvatinib have been approved by the FDA for the treatment of metastatic, RAI-refractory DTC, while vandetanib and cabozantinib are FDA approved for use in advanced MTC. Moreover, several additional TKIs, multi-targeted or specific, are currently under investigation in TC. The current manuscript provides an extensive review of the literature regarding targeted therapies in TC including the rationale behind their use, the clinical trials and an expert opinion on their use. Literature in English appearing at PubMed was thoroughly reviewed, especially manuscripts of the last 5 years. Expert commentary: Patients with advanced, progressive, metastatic TC should be evaluated for enrollment in a clinical trial or should be placed on treatment with one of the FDA- and EMA- approved agents.
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Affiliation(s)
- Athanasios Bikas
- a Division of Endocrinology, Department of Medicine , MedStar Washington Hospital Center , Washington , DC , USA
| | - Shivangi Vachhani
- a Division of Endocrinology, Department of Medicine , MedStar Washington Hospital Center , Washington , DC , USA
| | - Kirk Jensen
- b Department of Pediatrics , Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences , Bethesda , MD , USA
| | - Vasyl Vasko
- b Department of Pediatrics , Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences , Bethesda , MD , USA
| | - Kenneth D Burman
- a Division of Endocrinology, Department of Medicine , MedStar Washington Hospital Center , Washington , DC , USA
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Petrulea MS, Plantinga TS, Smit JW, Georgescu CE, Netea-Maier RT. PI3K/Akt/mTOR: A promising therapeutic target for non-medullary thyroid carcinoma. Cancer Treat Rev 2015; 41:707-13. [PMID: 26138515 DOI: 10.1016/j.ctrv.2015.06.005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 68] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/13/2015] [Revised: 06/15/2015] [Accepted: 06/21/2015] [Indexed: 10/23/2022]
Abstract
Thyroid carcinoma (TC) is the most common endocrine malignancy. The pathogenesis of TC is complex and involves multiple genetic events that lead to activation of oncogenic pathways such as the MAP kinase (MAPK) pathway and the PI3K/Akt/mTOR pathway. The PI3K/Akt pathway has emerged as an important player in the pathogenesis of TC, particularly in follicular and advanced anaplastic or poorly differentiated TC. Because these patients have a poor prognosis, particularly when their tumors become resistant to the conventional treatment with radioactive iodine, efforts have been made to identify possible targets for therapy within these pathways. Orally available drugs targeting the PI3K/Akt/mTOR pathway are being used with success in treatment of several types of malignant tumors. There is an increasing amount of preclinical and clinical data supporting that this pathway may represent a promising target for systemic therapy in TC. The present review focuses on the most recent developments on the role of the PI3K/Akt pathway in the pathogenesis of non-medullary TC and will provide insight into how this pathway can be targeted either alone or in the context of multimodal therapeutic strategies for treatment of advanced TC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mirela S Petrulea
- Department of Endocrinology, University of Medicine and Pharmacy Cluj-Napoca Iuliu Hatieganu, 3-5 Louis Pasteur, 400349 Cluj-Napoca, Romania
| | - Theo S Plantinga
- Department of Internal Medicine, Radboud University Medical Center, Geert Grooteplein Zuid 8, 6525 GA Nijmegen, The Netherlands; Division of Endocrinology, Radboud University Medical Center, Geert Grooteplein Zuid 8, 6525 GA Nijmegen, The Netherlands
| | - Jan W Smit
- Department of Internal Medicine, Radboud University Medical Center, Geert Grooteplein Zuid 8, 6525 GA Nijmegen, The Netherlands; Division of Endocrinology, Radboud University Medical Center, Geert Grooteplein Zuid 8, 6525 GA Nijmegen, The Netherlands
| | - Carmen E Georgescu
- Department of Endocrinology, University of Medicine and Pharmacy Cluj-Napoca Iuliu Hatieganu, 3-5 Louis Pasteur, 400349 Cluj-Napoca, Romania
| | - Romana T Netea-Maier
- Department of Internal Medicine, Radboud University Medical Center, Geert Grooteplein Zuid 8, 6525 GA Nijmegen, The Netherlands; Division of Endocrinology, Radboud University Medical Center, Geert Grooteplein Zuid 8, 6525 GA Nijmegen, The Netherlands..
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Carneiro RM, Carneiro BA, Agulnik M, Kopp PA, Giles FJ. Targeted therapies in advanced differentiated thyroid cancer. Cancer Treat Rev 2015; 41:690-8. [PMID: 26105190 DOI: 10.1016/j.ctrv.2015.06.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 50] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/10/2015] [Revised: 06/09/2015] [Accepted: 06/10/2015] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
Differentiated thyroid cancer is the most common endocrine malignancy, and its incidence has been rising rapidly over the past 10 years. Although most patients with this disease have an excellent prognosis, a subset develops a more aggressive disease phenotype refractory to conventional therapies. Until recently, there was no effective therapy for these patients. With increasing knowledge of the molecular pathogenesis of thyroid cancer, novel targeted therapies are being developed for this group of patients. Sorafenib and lenvatinib, small-molecule multikinase inhibitors, were approved for the treatment of progressive, symptomatic, radioactive iodine refractory, advanced differentiated thyroid cancer in 2013 and 2015, respectively. This represents a major innovation in the therapy of patients with advanced thyroid cancer. However, these therapies still have many limitations and further research needs to be pursued with the ultimate goal of providing safe and effective personalized therapy for patients with advanced thyroid cancer.
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Affiliation(s)
- Raquel M Carneiro
- Northwestern Medicine Developmental Therapeutics Institute, Northwestern University, United States; Division of Endocrinology, Metabolism, and Molecular Medicine, Feinberg School of Medicine, Northwestern University, United States; Robert H. Lurie Comprehensive Cancer Center of Northwestern University, United States.
| | - Benedito A Carneiro
- Northwestern Medicine Developmental Therapeutics Institute, Northwestern University, United States; Division of Hematology and Oncology, Feinberg School of Medicine, Northwestern University, United States; Robert H. Lurie Comprehensive Cancer Center of Northwestern University, United States.
| | - Mark Agulnik
- Division of Hematology and Oncology, Feinberg School of Medicine, Northwestern University, United States; Robert H. Lurie Comprehensive Cancer Center of Northwestern University, United States.
| | - Peter A Kopp
- Division of Endocrinology, Metabolism, and Molecular Medicine, Feinberg School of Medicine, Northwestern University, United States; Robert H. Lurie Comprehensive Cancer Center of Northwestern University, United States.
| | - Francis J Giles
- Northwestern Medicine Developmental Therapeutics Institute, Northwestern University, United States; Division of Hematology and Oncology, Feinberg School of Medicine, Northwestern University, United States; Robert H. Lurie Comprehensive Cancer Center of Northwestern University, United States.
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Netea-Maier RT, Klück V, Plantinga TS, Smit JWA. Autophagy in thyroid cancer: present knowledge and future perspectives. Front Endocrinol (Lausanne) 2015; 6:22. [PMID: 25741318 PMCID: PMC4332359 DOI: 10.3389/fendo.2015.00022] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/26/2014] [Accepted: 02/05/2015] [Indexed: 01/01/2023] Open
Abstract
Thyroid cancer is the most common endocrine malignancy. Despite having a good prognosis in the majority of cases, when the tumor is dedifferentiated it does no longer respond to conventional treatment with radioactive iodine, the prognosis worsens significantly. Treatment options for advanced, dedifferentiated disease are limited and do not cure the disease. Autophagy, a process of self-digestion in which damaged molecules or organelles are degraded and recycled, has emerged as an important player in the pathogenesis of different diseases, including cancer. The role of autophagy in thyroid cancer pathogenesis is not yet elucidated. However, the available data indicate that autophagy is involved in several steps of thyroid tumor initiation and progression as well as in therapy resistance and therefore could be exploited for therapeutic applications. The present review summarizes the most recent data on the role of autophagy in the pathogenesis of thyroid cancer and we will provide a perspective on how this process can be targeted for potential therapeutic approaches and could be further explored in the context of multimodality treatment in cancer and personalized medicine.
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Affiliation(s)
- Romana T. Netea-Maier
- Department of Medicine, Division of Endocrinology, Radboud University Nijmegen Medical Center, Nijmegen, Netherlands
| | - Viola Klück
- Department of Medicine, Division of Endocrinology, Radboud University Nijmegen Medical Center, Nijmegen, Netherlands
| | - Theo S. Plantinga
- Department of Medicine, Division of Endocrinology, Radboud University Nijmegen Medical Center, Nijmegen, Netherlands
| | - Johannes W. A. Smit
- Department of Medicine, Division of Endocrinology, Radboud University Nijmegen Medical Center, Nijmegen, Netherlands
- *Correspondence: Johannes W. A. Smit, Department of Medicine, Division of Endocrinology, Radboud University Nijmegen Medical Center, Geert Grooteplein 8, PO Box 9101, Nijmegen 6500 HB, Netherlands e-mail:
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12
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Abstract
PURPOSE OF REVIEW Several new targeted therapies with multikinase inhibitors targeting vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF), rearranged during transfection and v-raf murine sarcoma viral oncogene homolog B1 pathways have been tested in clinical trials for radioiodine-refractory differentiated thyroid cancer (DTC) and medullary thyroid cancer (MTC) in the past 10 years. RECENT FINDINGS Results of the first phase III trial of VEGF-targeted therapy (sorafenib) in DTC were presented in June 2013, and two phase III trials with VEGF and rearranged during transfection-targeted therapies (vandetanib and cabozantinib) in MTC have led to approval by US Food and Drug Administration in the past 2 years. Whereas such therapies increase median progression-free survival compared to placebo, there is no therapy proven to improve overall survival yet. Significant potential adverse event risks associated with such therapies need to be recognized. Dissemination of knowledge about targeted therapies is critical for various medical specialists as patient care for thyroid cancers is best delivered in a multidisciplinary setting. SUMMARY Successful development of targeted systemic therapies in DTC and MTC in the past 5 years is incredibly exciting in the field and patients with advanced DTC/MTC now have new standard-of-care therapy options.
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