Targeted therapy in advanced thyroid cancer to resensitize tumors to radioactive iodine
Targeted BRAF or MEK inhibitor therapy can restore radioactive iodine uptake and enhance response to subsequent radioactive iodine treatment in patients with advanced, RAI‑resistant thyroid cancer.
In a single‑institution case series of 13 patients with advanced, radioactive iodine‑resistant thyroid cancer, treatment with BRAF and/or MEK inhibitors (dabrafenib, vemurafenib, trametinib or combinations) restored radioactive iodine uptake in 8 of 13 (62%) patients and enabled further iodine therapy. Eight patients received additional I‑131 treatment, and 3 achieved partial responses, with one patient experiencing 88 % tumor shrinkage. AEs were limited to inflammatory reactions that resolved within three months.
These findings offer hope for a rare subset of patients whose thyroid cancer has lost the ability to absorb iodine, potentially improving outcomes and highlighting the need for larger prospective studies to identify patients most likely to benefit and to quantify long‑term benefit.
Evidence level: Korai humán adat. Kis vagy feltáró emberi adat.
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