Recent Findings from University of Rochester Provides New Insights into Medullary Thyroid Cancer (Fundamentals and Recent Advances In the Evaluation and Management of Medullary Thyroid Carcinoma).

Recent findings from the University of Rochester provide new insights into medullary thyroid cancer (MTC). MTC is a rare primary neuroendocrine thyroid carcinoma that is distinct from other thyroid or neuroendocrine cancers. Most cases of MTC are sporadic, but it exhibits a high degree of heritability. The primary oncogenic drivers of MTC are RET mutations, and advances in molecular profiling have revealed druggable alterations. Surgery at an early stage is the only chance for a cure, but many patients present with or develop metastases. Biomarkers such as C-cell-specific calcitonin trajectory and structural doubling times are critical for prognosis and treatment decisions. Recent advances in active surveillance, regionally directed therapies, and systemic therapy with multi-kinase and RET-specific inhibitors have significantly improved outcomes for patients with MTC. [Extracted from the article]