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A new report from Milan, Italy provides fresh data on medullary thyroid cancer (MTC). MTC accounts for only 3% of all thyroid carcinomas, with 75% being sporadic MTC (sMTC) and 25% being hereditary MTC (hMTC) in the context of multiple endocrine neoplasia type 2 (MEN2). Early diagnosis is possible through the determination of the tumor marker calcitonin (Ctn) and the detection of the mutation in the proto-oncogene RET in MEN2 families. Treatment options include surgery and tyrosine kinase inhibitors, depending on the stage of the cancer. The research emphasizes the importance of follow-up care and monitoring for tumor progression. [Extracted from the article]

A recent study conducted by researchers at the University of California Los Angeles (UCLA) has focused on medullary thyroid carcinoma (MTC), a type of thyroid cancer that is responsible for over 10% of deaths related to thyroid cancer. The study aimed to determine whether calcitonin levels can be used as a reliable method for risk-stratifying MTC without lymph node involvement. The researchers concluded that further investigation is needed to determine if calcitonin levels can guide prophylactic neck dissection in sporadic MTC. This research has been peer-reviewed and published in The Laryngoscope. [Extracted from the article]

A recent report from researchers at Royal North Shore Hospital in Sydney, Australia, discusses the case of a 22-year-old woman with metastatic medullary thyroid cancer (MTC) who experienced a rare complication following treatment with the tyrosine kinase inhibitor selpercatinib. The patient developed pulmonary Langerhans cell histiocytosis (LCH), a clonal histiocytic neoplasm usually driven by somatic BRAF mutations. The researchers hypothesize that the selective pressure from RET blockade may have activated a downstream somatic BRAF mutation, resulting in the development of LCH. They recommend continued vigilance for neoplasms driven by dysregulated downstream MAPK signaling in patients undergoing selective RET inhibition. [Extracted from the article]

A recent study conducted at the University of Chicago Medicine examined the recurrence and metastatic spread of medullary thyroid cancer (MTC). The study included 68 patients who underwent surgery for MTC, with a mean age of 54.9 years and 65% of them being female. The study found that male gender, lateral neck node metastasis, and high/highest MTC risk level mutations were significantly associated with recurrence. Preoperative calcitonin levels above 2175 pg/mL were indicative of advanced disease. The study concluded that one in four patients who undergo surgery for MTC will experience recurrence, and further evaluation should be prompted by high preoperative calcitonin levels. [Extracted from the article]

A recent study conducted by researchers at Tianjin Medical University Cancer Institute and Hospital focused on medullary thyroid carcinoma (MTC), a rare malignant tumor. The study aimed to identify the time kinetics and risk factors associated with calcitonin normalization (CN) and biochemical persistence/recurrence (BP) in MTC patients. The study found that achieving CN within one week or one month after surgery was associated with better outcomes, while failure to achieve CN led to biochemical persistence/recurrence and structural recurrence. The study also identified certain predictors of CN and BP, such as lymph node ratio (LNR) and gender. The findings suggest that early changes in calcitonin levels can provide real-time prognostic information for MTC patients. [Extracted from the article]

The University of Pennsylvania has been granted a patent for a treatment for medullary thyroid carcinoma (MTC), a type of thyroid cancer. The treatment involves the use of a chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) that targets a specific cell-surface receptor. The patent provides detailed information on the structure and composition of the CAR polypeptide, which is designed to be an effective therapy for MTC. This invention addresses the need for improved treatments for MTC, which has a high risk of recurrence and limited response to current therapies. [Extracted from the article]

A new report from Hospital Salvador in Santiago, Chile provides fresh data on medullary thyroid cancer (MTC). The researchers present a case study of a 49-year-old male patient with MTC who underwent total thyroidectomy and bilateral dissection. The patient had a follow-up period of six years with undetectable levels of calcitonin, but eventually experienced a rise in markers and was found to have liver metastases. The researchers conclude that while clinical guidelines are useful, they should be applied on a case-by-case basis, as strictly following the guidelines in this case would have resulted in the missed detection of liver metastases. [Extracted from the article]

A study conducted at the University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center examined the association between somatic mutations and clinicopathologic behavior in patients with sporadic medullary thyroid cancer (sMTC). The study used next-generation sequencing (NGS) to identify somatic mutations in 191 sMTC tumors. The results showed that somatic RET mutations, including RET M918T, did not have a negative impact on disease-specific survival (DSS) or overall survival (OS) in these patients. The study concluded that somatic RET mutations identified through clinically motivated NGS do not indicate compromised DSS or OS in sMTC patients. [Extracted from the article]

A recent study conducted in Heilongjiang, People's Republic of China, focused on the role of a long non-coding RNA (lncRNA) called ZFAS1 in medullary thyroid carcinoma (MTC). The researchers found that ZFAS1 promotes the invasion of MTC by upregulating the expression of a protein called EPAS1 through the miR-214-3p/UCHL1 axis. Silencing ZFAS1 inhibited MTC cell proliferation and invasion, and reduced EPAS1 protein levels. The study suggests that targeting ZFAS1 could be a potential therapeutic strategy for MTC. [Extracted from the article]

Researchers from Binzhou Medical University in China have conducted a retrospective study on medullary thyroid carcinoma (MTC), a rare form of thyroid cancer. The study aimed to analyze the relationship between calcitonin (Ctn) levels at different time points in MTC patients and evaluate its predictive effect on recurrence. The study included 212 patients with a median follow-up time of 59.5 months. The findings showed that normalization of postoperative serum Ctn at the first month (NPS) was a better predictor of long-term biochemical cure for MTC than preoperative Ctn levels. Non-biochemical cure, larger tumor size, and multifocality were identified as unfavorable independent predictors of structural recurrence and disease-free survival. The study also found no difference in prognosis between different surgeries for sporadic MTC confined to the thyroid lobe. [Extracted from the article]

A recent report from the University of Padua in Italy discusses the role of procalcitonin (ProCt) in the follow-up of medullary thyroid cancer (MTC). The study found that ProCt and calcitonin (Ct) values were highly correlated, and ProCt may be useful as an adjunct to Ct in determining the presence or absence of structural disease in MTC patients. The research suggests that ProCt has a high negative predictive value (NPV) for detecting structural disease. Further research is needed to explore the potential of ProCt in MTC follow-up. [Extracted from the article]

A recent study conducted by researchers at the Karolinska Institutet in Sweden has found no evidence to suggest that GLP-1 analogues, a type of drug commonly used to treat diabetes and obesity, increase the risk of thyroid cancer. The study analyzed data from over 145,000 patients treated with GLP-1 analogues and compared it to a control group of 290,000 patients treated with another diabetes drug. The results showed that GLP-1 treatment was not associated with an increased risk of thyroid cancer. However, the researchers noted that the study did not include certain patient groups, such as those with a high congenital risk of medullary thyroid cancer, and further research is needed to fully understand the potential side effects of these medications. [Extracted from the article]

A recent study conducted by researchers at Baylor College of Medicine in Houston, Texas, aimed to broaden the understanding of medullary thyroid cancer (MTC) in pediatric patients. The study analyzed the clinical presentations and long-term outcomes of 144 patients diagnosed with MTC between 1961 and 2019. The findings revealed that pediatric patients with sporadic MTC (sMTC) had older age at diagnosis, larger tumors, higher initial stage grouping, and more structural disease and distant metastases compared to those with hereditary MTC (hMTC). However, these differences disappeared when comparing patients diagnosed clinically, regardless of family history. The study also highlighted the importance of somatic molecular testing in sMTC patients who may benefit from systemic therapy. [Extracted from the article]

Researchers from Jagiellonian University College of Medicine in Krakow, Poland have published a case study on a 45-year-old male with ectopic ACTH-dependent Cushing's syndrome induced by medullary thyroid carcinoma (MTC). MTC is a rare neoplasm originating from thyroid parafollicular cells and is characterized by calcitonin production. In this case, the MTC released adrenocorticotropic hormone (ACTH), accounting for about 2% of ectopic Cushing's syndrome cases. The patient presented with weakness and a history of recent diabetes and hypertension. This research provides valuable insights into the relationship between MTC and Cushing's syndrome. [Extracted from the article]

A recent study conducted in Porto, Portugal examined the prognostic factors of medullary thyroid carcinoma (MTC), a rare form of thyroid cancer. The study focused on the role of gender in MTC outcomes and found that male gender was associated with a poorer prognosis. The research suggests that there may be a true biological difference between genders in the development of MTC, which warrants further investigation. The study highlights the need for more research in this area to better understand the factors influencing MTC outcomes. [Extracted from the article]

A recent study conducted at the Cancer Hospital focused on medullary thyroid cancer (MTC) and the accurate prediction of lateral cervical lymph node metastases (LCLNM) in MTC patients. The researchers aimed to develop a model that could use preoperative thyroid ultrasound images to predict the LCLNM status of MTC noninvasively. The study included 218 MTC patients, and three models were established: the thyroid imaging reporting and data system (TI-RADS) model, the radiomics model, and the radiomics-TI-RADS model. The radiomics-TI-RADS model showed the highest performance in predicting LCLNM. This model has the potential to be used as a complementary tool in guiding treatment decisions for MTC patients. [Extracted from the article]