Thyroid Cancer Research Results and Study Updates
See Advances in Thyroid Cancer Research for an overview of recent findings and progress, plus ongoing projects supported by NCI.
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Selpercatinib Approved for Thyroid and Lung Cancers with RET Gene AlterationsPosted:
FDA has granted accelerated approval for selpercatinib (Retevmo) to treat certain patients with thyroid cancer or non-small cell lung cancer whose tumors have RET gene alterations. The drug, which works by blocking the activity of RET proteins, was approved based on the results of the LIBRETTO-001 trial.
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Genomic Test Helps Identify Thyroid Nodules That Don’t Require SurgeryPosted:
The test measures genomic changes in thyroid biopsy samples and generates a score based on how strongly each change is associated with thyroid cancer. A study showed the test accurately identified samples that, after surgery, were found to be benign.
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Dabrafenib–Trametinib Combination Approved for Melanoma, Anaplastic Thyroid CancerPosted:
FDA recently approved the targeted-drug combination to treat patients with advanced melanoma and a subset of patients with a rare and aggressive form of thyroid cancer whose tumors have a specific mutation in the BRAF gene.
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Patients Who Choose No Intervention for Small Thyroid Cancers Report Lack of SupportPosted:
Patients who choose not to pursue immediate biopsy or treatment for small, asymptomatic thyroid cancers, or suspected cancers, can experience a lack of support from doctors and loved ones, a new study shows.
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After Rising for Decades, Thyroid Cancer Incidence StabilizesPosted:
After rising steadily since the 1990s, the incidence of thyroid cancer in the United States may be leveling off, according to an analysis of data from NCI’s SEER program.
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FDA Approves Lenvatinib for Radioactive Iodine-Refractory Thyroid CancerPosted:
The FDA has approved lenvatinib (Lenvima) to treat some patients with the most common type of thyroid cancer.
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TCGA study improves understanding of genetic drivers of thyroid cancerPosted:
A comprehensive analysis of the genomes of nearly 500 papillary thyroid carcinomas (PTC) – the most common form of thyroid cancer – has provided new insights into the roles of frequently mutated cancer genes and other genomic alterations that drive disease development, information that may help improve diagnosis and treatment. Findings confirmed that PTCs are driven primarily by mutations in one of two cancer-associated genes: BRAF (and a particular BRAF mutation noted as V600E ) or RAS.
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Sorafenib Improves Progression-Free Survival in Some Patients with Metastatic Thyroid CancerPosted:
Results from an international phase III trial show that sorafenib (Nexavar®) may benefit patients with locally advanced or metastatic differentiated thyroid cancer that is no longer responding to treatment with radioactive iodine. Patients who were treated with sorafenib lived longer without their cancers getting worse than patients who received a placebo.