ALK Rearrangement in Anaplastic Thyroid Carcinoma: A Discovery Towards a Personalized Approach?

Abstract

Anaplastic thyroid carcinoma (ATC) represents about 1% of all thyroid carcinomas [1]. ATC is the most aggressive form of thyroid carcinoma especially when metastatic accounting for 14-50% of all thyroid cancer related deaths [2]. Prognosis and outcomes following local progression or metastasis are poor using conventional therapies such as surgery, chemotherapy, and external beam radiation therapy with only 20% survival at 1 year [3]. So far, previous attempts to use multi-target tyrosine kinase inhibitors have not improved survival outcomes [4]. Therefore, molecular screening for specific genetic alterations in ATC tumors may provide an opportunity for an efficient, targeted therapy.