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Purpose: To evaluate the efficacy and safety of dabrafenib-trametinib-131I for the treatment of radioactive iodine refractory metastatic differentiated thyroid cancer (DTC) with a BRAF p.V600E mutation. Patients and Methods: A prospective phase II trial including patients with RECIST progression within 18 months and no lesion > 3 cm. Following a baseline recombinant human (rh)TSH-stimulated diagnostic whole-body scan (dc1-WBS), dabrafenib and trametinib were given for 42 days. A second rhTSH-stimulated dc WBS (dc2-WBS) was done at day 28 and 131I (5.5 GBq–150 mCi after rhTSH) was administered at day 35. Primary endpoint was the 6-month RECIST objective response rate. In case of partial response (PR) at 6 or 12 months, a second treatment course could be given. Among 24 enrolled patients, 21 were evaluable at 6 months. Results: Abnormal 131I uptake was present on 5%, 65%, and 95% of the dc1-WBS, dc2-WBS, and post-therapy scans, respectively. At 6 months, PR was achieved in 38%, stable disease in 52%, and progressive disease (PD) in 10%. Ten patients received a second treatment course: one complete response and 6 PRs were observed at 6 months. The median progression-free survival (PFS) was not reached. The 12- and 24-month PFS were 82% and 68%, respectively. One death due to PD occurred at 24 months. Adverse events (AE) occurred in 96% of the patients, with 10 grade 3–4 AEs in 7 patients. Conclusions: Dabrafenib-trametinib is effective in BRAF p.V600E-mutated DTC patients for restoring 131I uptake with PR observed 6 months after 131I administration in 38% of the patients.

Waterfall plot of the RECIST response

Quality of Life scores

Purpose:To evaluate the efficacy and safety of dabrafenib-trametinib-131I for the treatment of radioactive iodine refractory metastatic differentiated thyroid cancer (DTC) with a BRAF p.V600E mutation.Patients and Methods:A prospective phase II trial including patients with RECIST progression within 18 months and no lesion > 3 cm. Following a baseline recombinant human (rh)TSH-stimulated diagnostic whole-body scan (dc1-WBS), dabrafenib and trametinib were given for 42 days. A second rhTSH-stimulated dc WBS (dc2-WBS) was done at day 28 and 131I (5.5 GBq–150 mCi after rhTSH) was administered at day 35. Primary endpoint was the 6-month RECIST objective response rate. In case of partial response (PR) at 6 or 12 months, a second treatment course could be given. Among 24 enrolled patients, 21 were evaluable at 6 months.Results:Abnormal 131I uptake was present on 5%, 65%, and 95% of the dc1-WBS, dc2-WBS, and post-therapy scans, respectively. At 6 months, PR was achieved in 38%, stable disease in 52%, and progressive disease (PD) in 10%. Ten patients received a second treatment course: one complete response and 6 PRs were observed at 6 months. The median progression-free survival (PFS) was not reached. The 12- and 24-month PFS were 82% and 68%, respectively. One death due to PD occurred at 24 months. Adverse events (AE) occurred in 96% of the patients, with 10 grade 3–4 AEs in 7 patients.Conclusions:Dabrafenib-trametinib is effective in BRAF p.V600E-mutated DTC patients for restoring 131I uptake with PR observed 6 months after 131I administration in 38% of the patients.

BACKGROUND: Intraoperative neuromonitoring (IONM) in thyroid surgery requires electric stimulation of the vagus nerve to verify correct electrode placement. Classically the nerve is found deep to or in-between the common carotid artery and internal jugular vein, but previous studies have shown that the nerve can sometimes be found superficial to the vessels. Our aim was to determine the incidence of a superficial vagus nerve using ultrasound (US) and study possible clinical factors associated with an anteriorly-located vagus nerve. METHODS: Retrospective study of patients undergoing thyroid surgery (lobectomy or total thyroidectomy) with intermittent IONM. Substernal goiters, locally invasive tumors or bulky lymph nodes were excluded. The vagus nerve was identified at the level of the mid-thyroid lobe on each side on preoperative US performed by two specialized radiologists, and its location according to 6 possible positions in relationship to the common carotid artery was recorded. The anatomic variability of the vagus nerve was analyzed in relationship to patient demographics and thyroid pathology. RESULTS: Five-hundred twenty-seven patients were included. The right vagus nerve (n=522) was in-between, superficial or deep to the vessels in 92.3%, 6.1% and 1.5% and of cases, respectively, and the left vagus (n=517) in 80.2%, 18.6% and 1.2% of cases, respectively, with a statistically significant difference between right and left vagus nerves (P

Objective The presence of extrathyroidal extension (ETE) is generally considered as an indication for total thyroidectomy for differentiated thyroid cancer. The accuracy of neck ultrasound for the diagnosis of ETE is controversial. The aim of this study was to assess the diagnostic accuracy of preoperative ultrasound evaluation of ETE. Methods The retrospective and observational study of consecutive patients operated between 2016 and 2019 for cytologically suspicious or indeterminate thyroid nodules were analyzed. US images obtained preoperatively were retrospectively reviewed to identify signs of minimal or gross ETE. Histology was considered as the golden standard for diagnosis of ETE. The sensitivity, specificity, positive (PPV) and negative predictive values (NPV), and accuracy of US were evaluated. Results A cohort of 305 patients (75% females, median age 48 years) with 378 nodules (median size 18 mm) was studied. Seventy-five percent of the nodules (n = 228) were malignant on histology and ETE was present in 106 cases (28%): 83 minimal ETE and 23 gross ETE. Suspicion of minimal ETE on preoperative ultrasound was found in 50 (13%) with a sensitivity of 30%, a specificity of 93%, a PPV of 62% and an NPV of 78%, with an accuracy of 76%. Gross ETE on ultrasound was found in 19 (5%) nodules with a sensitivity of 78%, a specificity of 99.7% a PPV of 94.7% an NPV of 98.6% and an accuracy of 98%. Conclusions Preoperative US is very specific and accurate in diagnosing gross ETE which impacts the extent of initial surgery for thyroid cancers.

Anaplastic thyroid cancer (ATC) is a rare lethal disease. Lenvatinib is an off-label therapeutic option for ATC in most countries, except in Japan. The aim of this multicenter retrospective survey was to analyze the efficacy and the toxicity profile of off-label lenvatinib treatment in all adults advanced ATC patients, in France. Of the 23 patients analysed (14 males; mean age 64 years), 15 were pure ATC and 8 were mixed tumors (i.e. with a differentiated or poorly differentiated component). Prior treatments included neck external beam irradiation in 74%, at least one line of chemotherapy in 22 cases, two lines of chemotherapy in 11 patients, other TKI in 4 cases. A central RECIST assessment was performed. Since lenvatinib initiation, median PFS was 2.7 months (95% CI; 1.9–3.5) and median OS was 3.1 months (95% CI; 0.6–5.5). OS was significantly longer in case of mixed tumors compared with pure ATC (6.3 vs 2.7 months, P = 0.026). Best tumor response was partial response in two cases and stable disease in seven. Clinical improvement was achieved in seven patients. Lethal adverse events occurred in three patients, consisting in haemoptysis in two cases and pneumothorax in one case. Among long-surviving ATC patients (>6 months), four underwent biopsy of distant metastasis, revealing poorly differentiated histology; three of them had initial mixed ATC histology. Efficacy of lenvatinib appears limited, although pure vs mixed ATC disclose differences in disease aggressiveness and treatment response. Long-surviving ATC patients might benefit from biopsy of persistent disease, searching for histological transition or molecular target.

Objectif Les PPGM sont des tumeurs tres rares ( Patients et methodes Patients ayant un PPGM en progression selon RECIST, randomises 1/1 entre Sunitinib 37,5 mg/j et placebo, stratifies sur le statut SDH B et la ligne de traitement. Le critere de jugement principal etait la survie sans progression (PFS) a 12 mois (RECIST1.1, relecture centralisee). Avec une puissance de 90 % et un risque alpha a 10 %, l’inclusion de 74 patients etait necessaire pour detecter une amelioration de la PFS de 20 (groupe placebo) a 40 %. Resultats 78 patients ont ete recrutes (âge median, 53 ans ; 59 % d’hommes). Principales caracteristiques : primitifs surrenaliens/PGL, 50 % chacune ; 32 % de SDHx mute, 71 % secretant, 60 % de traitement anterieur. 39 patients ont ete randomises dans chaque bras. Le critere d’evaluation principal a ete atteint : la PFS a 12 mois etait de 35,9 % (sunitinib) contre 18,9 % (placebo ; La PFS mediane etait de 8,9 (95CI : 5,5-12,7) contre 3,6 mois (3,1-6,1). Les raisons de l’arret du medicament etaient effets indesriables/progression tumorale chez 14 %/64 % (sunitinib) et 0 %/86 % (placebo). Discussion Cette premiere etude randomisee dans le domaine des PPGM fournit le niveau de preuve le plus eleve jamais atteint dans ce cancer tres rare. Le sunitinib devient l’option de premiere intention chez les patients atteints de PPGM en progression.

A 59-year-old woman with locally invasive poorly differentiated thyroid cancer with synchronous lung, mediastinal, and bone metastases and a somatic

We evaluated the impact of patient-assisted compression (PAC) on image quality, dose, workflow and patient experience of mammography. Patients aged 40-90 years coming for bilateral mammography were included prospectively in the study. After positioning each breast, the technologist performed the compression and exposure of the first breast, initiated the compression of the other until 3 daN and then let the patient complete the compression using a remote control device. Image quality, compression force, breast thickness, average glandular dose and pain value for each breast were assessed for PAC and technologist compression (TC). The compression level was significantly higher with PAC than TC for both craniocaudal (CC; median difference 2.0 daN, p 0.0001) and mediolateral oblique (MLO) views (median difference 1.5 daN, p 0.0001). Breast thickness was reduced with PAC (CC, median difference -1.90 cm, p = 0.02), as well as glandular dose (CC, median difference -0.03, p = 0.02). The image quality was rated equivalent for both modes in 85% (85/100) of cases, superior for PAC in 10% (10/100) of cases and inferior in 5% (5/100) of cases. There was no significant difference in discomfort or pain felt between PAC and TC modes. Seventy-four percent of patients reported that the self-compressing device would facilitate their reattendance. PAC may be a suitable technique for mammography examinations, providing an equivalent image quality to TC. Moreover, as the breast compression level is increased, PAC may help reduce breast thickness, hence glandular dose. The fact that patients have control over the procedure may change their perception of mammography and improve uptake and compliance.