Andrew Turk, MD

Andrew Turk, MD, assistant professor of pathology and cell biology, Columbia University, discusses the main factors that can be used to determine whether a patient presenting with thyroid cancer has an indolent form of the disease or a more aggressive thyroid cancer.

The most common forms of thyroid cancer tend to behave more indolently. An example of this is papillary thyroid carcinoma, which behaves in a less aggressive fashion than other subtypes of the disease. However, forms of thyroid cancer like medullary thyroid carcinoma (MTC) and anaplastic thyroid cancer (ATC) can be more aggressive.

Most cases of MTC and ATC are usually more aggressive, says Turk. This is an example of how the histologic type of thyroid cancer can help a physician determine how aggressively the disease may behave.

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Andrew Turk, MD, discusses the main factors that can be used to determine whether a patient presenting with thyroid cancer has an indolent form of the disease or a more aggressive thyroid cancer.

Histologic Type Distinguishes Indolent Thyroid Cancers from More Aggressive Disease

Andrew Turk, MD, assistant professor of pathology and cell biology, Columbia University, discusses targeted agents that are making a splash in the treatment landscape of thyroid cancers, including the most aggressive form of the disease, anaplastic thyroid carcinoma. He says targeted agents have already become well established in the space of thyroid cancers, but these agents continue to evolve.

FDA granted approval to the combination of dabrafenib (Tafinlar) and trametinib

(Mekinist) for the treatment of patients with unresectable or metastatic

V600Epositive anaplastic thyroid cancer. This approval was based on phase II data that supported the use of this regimen in patents with anaplastic thyroid carcinoma harboring mutations in the

oncogene. This is a legitimate and authentic FDA-approved precision therapy in thyroid cancer, Turk says.

Andrew Turk, MD, discusses targeted agents that are making a splash in the treatment landscape of thyroid cancers, including the most aggressive form of the disease, anaplastic thyroid carcinoma. He says targeted agents have already become well established in the space of thyroid cancers, but these agents continue to evolve.

Targeted Agents Evolve in Anaplastic, Medullary Thyroid Cancer Treatment Paradigms

Andrew Turk, MD, assistant professor of pathology and cell biology, Columbia University, discusses the importance of discussing thyroid cancer at major meetings, such as the 2019 ASCO Annual Meeting. It is important for physicians to keep up to date on the latest advancements for treatment options and new understandings of the disease and its subtypes.

Thyroid cancer is not only extremely common, but it is also 1 of the most common forms of cancer, says Turk. In recent years, a number of advancements have been made in the field of thyroid cancer and understanding the disease. For example, new diagnostic categories have emerged; oncologists and pathologists need to be away of these categories in order to make individual treatment decisions for each patient with thyroid cancer.

Andrew Turk, MD, discusses the importance of discussing thyroid cancer at major meetings, such as the 2019 ASCO Annual Meeting. It is important for physicians to keep up to date on the latest advancements for treatment options and new understandings of the disease and its subtypes.

Andrew Turk, MD | Authors

Articles

Histologic Type Distinguishes Indolent Thyroid Cancers from More Aggressive Disease

Targeted Agents Evolve in Anaplastic, Medullary Thyroid Cancer Treatment Paradigms

Addressing the Importance of Understanding the Subtypes of Thyroid Cancer