Advancing Thyroid Cancer Care: Molecular Testing & Targeted Therapies

Noah S. Kalman, MD, MBA, a radiation oncologist at Miami Cancer Institute, discusses the evolving role of molecular and genetic testing in thyroid cancer management.

He explains how traditional treatment paradigms have relied on imaging and pathology, but recent advances in molecular profiling, such as identifying BRAF mutations, are helping refine disease classification and guide treatment decisions.

Kalman also explains that for patients with differentiated thyroid cancers, such as papillary and follicular types, standard treatments may not always be effective. In cases of advanced or treatment-resistant disease, targeted therapies like tyrosine kinase inhibitors (TKIs) have become a mainstay of care.

With ongoing research into molecular features and new therapeutic options, Kalman underscores the growing potential for more precise and effective strategies in thyroid cancer treatment.

Transcription:

0:10 | There are a lot of new things coming forward in thyroid cancer. One of the original markers that we have looked at is BRAF, which is a very common mutation that we see in thyroid cancer and can portend a somewhat more aggressive disease. Historically, and what we still do, is that a lot of the treatment paradigms that we have for differentiated thyroid cancer is based on classical things like imaging and pathologic findings, and there is a lot of excitement in the field coming through looking at more molecular features and trying to better classify these tumor types based on molecular findings.

1:15 | In terms of specific targeting, for patients that develop more advanced disease or have disease, particularly for differentiated thyroid cancers like papillary and follicular cancers, if the original or the mainstay treatment is not effective, or you have a disease that becomes resistant to these treatments, then the mainstay of treatment are these tyrosine kinase inhibitors that are used frequently. A lot of these tumors we then will test for different genetic alterations. And when those are seen, then there are different options that are available.