Anaplastic thyroid cancer (ATC) (or undifferentiated) is a form of thyroid cancer which has a very poor prognosis (14% ten-year survival rate) due to its aggressive behavior and resistance to cancer treatments.
Anaplastic tumors have a high miotic rate and lymphovascular invasion. It rapidly invades surrounding tissues (such as the trachea). The presence of regional lymphadenopathy in older patients in whom FNA reveals characteristic vesicular ap...
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Anaplastic thyroid cancer (ATC) (or undifferentiated) is a form of thyroid cancer which has a very poor prognosis (14% ten-year survival rate) due to its aggressive behavior and resistance to cancer treatments.
Anaplastic tumors have a high miotic rate and lymphovascular invasion. It rapidly invades surrounding tissues (such as the trachea). The presence of regional lymphadenopathy in older patients in whom FNA reveals characteristic vesicular appearance of the nuclei would support a diagnosis of anaplastic carcinoma.
Unlike its differentiated counterparts, anaplastic thyroid cancer is highly unlikely to be curable either by surgery or by any other treatment modality, and is in fact usually unresectable due to its high propensity for invading surrounding tissues.
Palliative treatment consists of radiation therapy usually combined with chemotherapy.
However, with today's technology, new drugs, such as Combretastatin (fosbretabulin),Bortezomib and TNF-Related Apoptosis Induced Ligand ...
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