- Anaplastic thyroid cancer, also called anaplastic thyroid carcinoma, is the rarest type of thyroid cancer, accounting for 1.6 percent of all new thyroid cancer cases. Only about 300 new cases of anaplastic thyroid cancers are diagnosed each year in the U.S. The five-year survival rate for this fast-growing cancer is roughly 5 percent.
- Surgery to remove the tumor (and frequently parts of the thyroid) is one possible treatment option for anaplastic thyroid cancer. Surgery is most beneficial both if the cancer has not spread and the entire tumor can be removed completely. Guidelines published by the American Association of Clinical Endocrinologists in 2001 suggest that surgery following a course of radiation and chemotherapy could lead to a better prognosis, although not all doctors agree on the benefits of surgery.
- While tracheostomy is not a treatment for anaplastic thyroid cancer, it is used in cases where the tumor has grown large enough to restrict the airway. A tracheostomy is a surgical operation that makes an incision below the restriction and inserts a tube that allows the patient unobstructed breathing during treatment.
- Anaplastic thyroid cancer has mixed, sometimes resistant, responses to chemotherapy. While the American Association of Clinical Endocrinologists notes that chemotherapy generally does not affect the poor prognosis of an ultimately fatal cancer, it can sometimes prolong survival. Chemotherapy drugs commonly used include doxorubicin, cisplatin, carboplatin, vincristine, bleomycin, 5-fluorouracil and paclitaxil, often used in various combinations.
- Anaplastic thyroid cancers respond better to treatment with external beam radiation therapy. In this therapy, the machine is focused on and delivers targeted radiation to the specific site. It can be used either before surgery to shrink the tumor to make it easier to remove or after surgery to eradicate any remaining tumor cells. The radiation treatments are usually given on an outpatient basis for five days a week over a period of five to six weeks. In combination with chemotherapy, radiation therapy can increase overall survival rates.
- Clinical trials, which are research studies to determine the effectiveness of potential new treatments, are an option for patients with anaplastic thyroid cancer whose cancers have not responded to conventional treatments. Clinical trials can potentially offer greater longevity, as well as the opportunity to participate in research that could help future patients. The downside is that these are unproven treatments with possible side effects, and travel and other costs can sometimes be part of participating. As with all treatments, the positives and negatives should be discussed with your doctor.
