PT  - JOURNAL ARTICLE
AU  - TERESA AUGUSTIN
AU  - DMYTRO OLIINYK
AU  - JOSEFINE RAUCH
AU  - VIKTORIA FLORENTINE KOEHLER
AU  - CHRISTINE SPITZWEG
AU  - CLAUS BELKA
AU  - LUKAS KÄSMANN
TI  - Radiation to the Primary Tumor in Metastatic Anaplastic Thyroid Cancer
AID  - 10.21873/invivo.12279
DP  - 2021 Jan 01
TA  - In Vivo
PG  - 461--465
VI  - 35
IP  - 1
4099  - http://iv.iiarjournals.org/content/35/1/461.short
4100  - http://iv.iiarjournals.org/content/35/1/461.full
SO  - In Vivo2021 Jan 01; 35
AB  - Background/Aim: Metastatic anaplastic thyroid cancer is associated with a dismal prognosis. We evaluated outcome and prognostic factors in patients receiving radiation to the primary tumor in metastatic anaplastic thyroid cancer (ATC). Patients and Methods: All consecutive patients with metastatic ATC (n=20) undergoing irradiation between 2009 and 2019 for anaplastic thyroid cancer were investigated. Results: Median survival time and median progression-free survival were 2 (range=1-22) and 2 (1-20) months. In univariate analyses, surgery, concurrent or sequential chemotherapy and higher radiation dose escalation (>39 Gy) were correlated with longer overall survival (p=0.005, p=0.018 and p=0.038), respectively. Karnofsky performance status >70% showed a trend of longer survival time (p=0.062). Limited metastatic disease, surgery and concurrent/sequential chemotherapy are correlated with longer progression-free survival times (p=0.043, p=0.024 and p=0.039), respectively. Conclusion: Radiation to the primary tumor in metastatic anaplastic thyroid cancer is safe and offers durable local control. Treatment intensification including concurrent or sequential chemotherapy and radiation dose escalation were associated with longer survival rates and should be considered in selected patients with metastatic disease.