Molecular targeted therapy in thyroid carcinoma

OBJECTIVE:To review the recent advances of molecular targeted therapies in thyroid carcinoma.METHODS:The data of molecular targeted therapies in thyroid carcinoma was searched from 2002-01 to 2007-10 in Medline and CHKD.The literatures mainly include the molecular etiology of thyroid carcinoma,therapeutic and side effects of multikinase inhibitor.Key words were thyroid carcinoma and molecular targeted therapy.Selection standard:1) the molecular etiology of carcinoma.2)the mechanism of molecular targeted therapy.3)therapeutic and side effects of molecular targeted therapy.4)development direction of molecular targeted therapy.About 100 literatures were reviewed and according to the selection standard 22 were refined lastly.RESULTS:The study of Vandetanib in advanced medullary thyroid carcinoma,Sorafenib in advanced papillary thyroid carcinoma and SAHA in advanced thyroid carcinoma all show good results.Celecoxib is not effective in the treatment of advanced differentiated thyroid carcinoma.The phase II study of AMG706 in advanced thyroid carcinoma and Imatinib in undifferentiated thyroid carcinoma are ongoing.CONCLUSION:Molecular targeted therapy represent an exciting field in the treatment of thyroid carcinoma.