Endocrine Abstracts

Introduction: Anaplastic thyroid carcinoma (ATC) is characterized by an aggressive clinical course and refractoriness to currently available local and systemic modalities of treatment. It is considered the most aggressive solid tumor, with few patients alive more than 1 year following diagnosis.

Bible et al have reported a combined therapy of radiation and radiosensitizing adjuvant chemotherapy, with some positive results.

Case report: The authors report a case of ATC in a 37-year-old woman, with irrelevant past medical history. She referred a left anterior cervical mass, which was detected one year ago. Because of recent fast enlargement, although no compressive symptoms, she was submitted to ultrasound guided biopsy of the dominant node, which revealed ATC.

Total thyroidectomy with central node dissection was performed.

ATC was histologically confirmed. Staged pT4N0MxR1.

Post-operatory US showed no remaining thyroid tissue on the surgical bed, or suspicious nodes.

No pulmonary metastases were found on the CT.

She was submitted to intensity-modulated radiation therapy and radiosensitizing plus adjuvant chemotherapy, intending four cycles of docetaxel plus doxorubicin, with good therapeutic tolerance.

A CT scan performed six months later showed no recurrence of the disease.

Conclusion: This case of an ATC, was atypical because it occurred in a young patient, treated with surgery a combined radiochemotherapy regimen, and the patient is alive 6 months after diagnosis, with unsuspected signs of disease.

Declaration of interest: The authors declare that there is no conflict of interest that could be perceived as prejudicing the impartiality of the research project.

Funding: This research did not receive any specific grant from any funding agency in the public, commercial or not-for-profit sector.