New drugs in thyroid cancer

Arq Bras Endocrinol Metabol. 2007 Jul;51(5):857-61. doi: 10.1590/s0004-27302007000500025.

Abstract

This review is focused on "new drugs" that might be developed for thyroid cancer treatment. Thyroid cancer is frequently associated to the activation of specific protein (RET, BRAF) and lipid [PI(3)K] kinases. There is good evidence that these genetic lesions are causative events in thyroid cancer initiation or progression. Therefore, novel compounds able to target these kinases might be useful for thyroid cancer treatment. The power of this approach is witnessed by the examples of BCR-ABL, c-KIT and EGFR inhibitors in the treatment of chronic myelogenous leukemia (CML), gastro-intestinal stromal tumors (GIST) and non-small cell lung carcinoma (NSCLC).

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't
  • Review

MeSH terms

  • Antineoplastic Agents / therapeutic use*
  • Carcinoma / drug therapy*
  • Carcinoma / genetics
  • Humans
  • Protein Kinase Inhibitors / therapeutic use*
  • Signal Transduction / physiology
  • Thyroid Neoplasms / drug therapy*
  • Thyroid Neoplasms / genetics

Substances

  • Antineoplastic Agents
  • Protein Kinase Inhibitors