Effective Treatment at Early Stage for Anaplastic Carcinoma of the Thyroid; A Case Report

Generally, the prognosis of thyroid anaplastic carcinoma is extremely unsatisfactory. We report here excellent results due to early treatment in a patient with anaplastic carcinoma. The patient was a 74-year-old female, who presented with an enlarged frontal neck tumor, together with cervix and throat pain, and undifferentiated carcinoma was strongly suspected based on aspiration biopsy cytology. The patient was admitted and six days after the first examination, total thyroidectomy was performed, and a diagnosis of anaplastic thyroid carcinoma was made based on the permanent pathological specimen. Postoperatively, EAP (Etoposide, Adriamycin, and Cisplatin) treatment and radiotherapy (56 Gy) were performed, with a subsequent second chemotherapy course. At two years no recurrence or metastasis has been noted and the patient has returned to her normal daily life. In conclusion, if radical dissection of the tumor is possible in the early stages, we consider that in patients with anaplastic thyroid carcinoma immediate operation and radiation and chemotherapy treatment should result in a positive prognosis.