A significant response to sunitinib in a patient with anaplastic thyroid carcinoma

Abstract

• Anaplastic thyroid cancer (ATC) is a rare disease with an incidence of less than three cases per million of habitants in western countries. ATC accounts for 1‑10% of all tumors derived from the thyroid gland. Classic chemotherapy approach based on platinum and anthracyclines regimens have been considered standard for the last decades. Novel multitarget agents have shown promising responses; however, no positive randomized clinical trials are available up to now. To our knowledge, the case we are presenting here is the first reported case showing clinical and visual activity using sunitinib as a salvage treatment in an ATC patient who was not fit to receive systemic chemotherapy treatment.
• Key words: Anaplastic thyroid cancer, angiogenesis, sunitinib