Multimodal Therapeutic Approach in Anaplastic Thyroid Cancer.
10.16956/kjes.2005.5.2.75
- Author:
Jong Duk SUH
1
;
Gyu Ha HWANG
;
Jin Hyang JUNG
;
Ho Yong PARK
;
Young Ha LEE
Author Information
1. Department of Surgery, School of Medicine, Kyungpook National University, Daegu, Korea. mong0101@dreamwiz.com
- Publication Type:Original Article
- Keywords:
Anaplastic thyroid carcinoma;
Prognostic factors;
Treatment modalities;
Survival rate
- MeSH:
Diagnosis;
Drug Therapy;
Female;
Goiter;
Humans;
Medical Records;
Neoplasm Metastasis;
Prognosis;
Radiotherapy;
Survival Rate;
Thyroid Carcinoma, Anaplastic*
- From:Korean Journal of Endocrine Surgery
2005;5(2):75-80
- CountryRepublic of Korea
- Language:Korean
-
Abstract:
PURPOSE: Anaplastic thyroid cancer (ATC) is a rare but highly aggressive neoplasm with a dismal prognosis. However, a few patients survive for a long time after treatment. We tried to identify prognostic factors of this disease and analyzed treatment outcomes in patients with ATC. METHODS: We reviewed the medical records of 15 patients diagnosed with ATC in our institution between 1988 and 2003. The survival was compared by the Kaplan-Meier logrank test using SPSS program. RESULTS: The female-to-male ratio was 1.5:1 (9 women and 6 men), and the mean age at diagnosis was 63.9 years (range, 44~91). The mean tumor size was 6.3 cm (range, 4~10 cm). Extrathyroidal invasion was present in 12 cases and distant metastasis at diagnosis was present in 6 cases. Surgery was performed in 8 cases. Radiotherapy was used for 10 cases and chemotherapy for 5 cases. The mean overall survival time of the 15 patients was 237 days (range, 28~717 days). The 6~, 12~, 18~ and 24~ month survival rates were 33%, 26%, 13% and 0%. No association was found between survival and presenting symptoms, age, gender, tumor size, previous goiter history, extrathyroidal invasion, distant metastasis, surgery, radiotherapy or chemotherapy. A significantly better outcome was observed in patients received triple modality treatment (surgery, radiotherapy and chemotherapy) than in those received single or dual modality treatment (P=0.05). CONCLUSION: Although most patients with ATC had a poor prognosis, a multimodal approach including surgery, radiotherapy and chemotherapy, might improve survival.
