Application of intensity-modulated radiotherapy in unresectable poorly differentiated thyroid carcinoma

作者：Xue, Fen; Li, Duanshu; Hu, Chaosu; Wang, Zhuoying; He, Xiayun^*; Wu, Yi^*

来源：Oncotarget, 2017, 8(9): 15934-15942.

DOI：10.18632/oncotarget.12785

• unresectable poorly differentiated thyroid carcinoma
• intensity modulated radiotherapy
• chemotherapy
• locoregional control
• distant metastases

Poorly differentiated thyroid carcinoma (PDTC) is a rare and aggressive malignancy with high rates of invasion and distant metastasis. This study was to explore the ability of intensity-modulated radiotherapy (IMRT) combined with chemotherapy to manage unresectable PDTC. Between February 2011 and April 2012, 5 patients with unresectable PDTC were treated by IMRT at our institution and were included in this analysis. The median radiotherapy dose to the gross tumor volume (GTV) was 66 Gy/33 fractions/6.4 weeks. All patients received chemotherapy, and one patient with tumor compression symptoms had a tracheotomy before treatment. The mean survival time of the 5 patients was 41.6 months. The direct causes of death were distant metastases (40%) and progression of the locoregional disease (20%). In conclusion, IMRT combined with chemotherapy for unresectable PDTC might be beneficial to improve locoregional control. Further new therapies are needed to control metastases.

• 出版日期2017-2-28
• 单位复旦大学