Molecular Translational Research on Thyroid Cancer

Dear Colleagues, 

Thyroid cancer (TC) is the most common endocrine neoplasm, accounting for about 2% of total cancer. Worldwide, disease incidence has increased three-fold over the past 30 years because of both a higher prevalence in thyroid gland screening and environmental and lifestyle changes.

This tumor mostly originates from the follicular epithelium and comprises differentiated (DTC), poorly differentiated (PDTC), and anaplastic (ATC) tumor histotypes.

DTCs are typically characterized by a favorable prognosis but advanced/metastatic disease, with an unfavorable clinical course, is observed in about 10% of these tumors and in more than one-third of PDTCs. Although current therapeutic strategies, including surgery and selective radioiodine therapy, are able to eradicate the majority of primary TCs arising from the follicular epithelium, the management of advanced and undifferentiated TCs, in addition to ATC, which is one of the most aggressive and deadly human cancers with a disease-specific mortality close to 100%, remains a clinical hurdle. These tumors are characterized by unresponsiveness to radioactive iodine (RAI) therapy and are defined as being RAI-refractory (due to loss of thyroid differentiation features, such as iodide uptake and organification). 

Finally, approximately 3% of all thyroid tumors are medullary thyroid carcinomas (MTCs) are derived from the neoplastic transformation of neuroendocrine C-cells.

The characterization of molecular alterations in different TC histotypes and the discovery of disease-specific molecular targets has led to the approval of new drugs which are currently available. However, due to their systemic toxicity and the tumors ability to activate alternative proliferation pathways, these drugs induce only partially beneficial effects. Therefore, a comprehensive knowledge of TC biology may lead to the development of more effective therapeutic strategies.

 

The aim of this Special Issue is to provide an overview of the most recently discoveries on the molecular alterations and/or pathways driving thyroid carcinogenesis as well as TC resistance to canonical and biological therapies toward providing new insights into diagnostic and therapeutic strategies.

Dr. Gabriella Pellegriti
Dr. Livia Manzella
Guest Editors

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