Vandetanib Delays Progression of Advanced Medullary Thyroid Cancer 07/15/2010
Results of a Phase III clinical trial indicate that the investigational drug vandetanib delays the progression of locally advanced or metastatic medullary thyroid cancer. These results were presented at the 2010 annual meeting of the American Society of Clinical Oncology. Medullary thyroid cancers account for approximately 2-3% of all thyroid cancers. ...

Zactima Active Against Hereditary Medullary Thyroid Cancer 01/14/2010
Results of a Phase II clinical trial indicate that Zactima™ (vandetanib) has significant activity for the treatment of patients with advanced, hereditary medullary thyroid cancer. These results were published in the Journal of Clinical Oncology. Thyroid cancer is treated by surgery and 131Iodine. Patients who fail these therapies respond poorly to ...

Childhood Cancer Survivors at Risk for Thyroid Cancer 11/02/2009
Survivors of childhood cancer are 18 times more likely to develop thyroid cancer than the general population, according to the results of a study published in the International Journal of Cancer.[1] Survivors of childhood cancers are often at risk for long-term and late effects of cancer and its treatment. This ...

Thyroid Cancer: It's Not in Your Head—It's in Your Neck! 02/02/2009
A thyroid cancer survivor shares valuable information about the disease and insight into the treatment process.It all started with bumps—what I would later learn were actually called nodules—in my neck. A friend at work noticed that my neck appeared swollen, and my mom mentioned to me a few times ...

Motesanib Diphosphate Provides Anticancer Activity Among Patients with Progressive Thyroid Cancer 07/03/2008
The investigative agent motesanib diphosphate (AMG 706) produces a regression of cancer among patients with thyroid cancer that is progressing despite standard therapies. These results were recently published in the New England Journal of Medicine.The thyroid is a gland in the throat that produces hormones mostly related to metabolic ...

Chornobyl Survivors Experience Increase in Thyroid Cancer 07/11/2006
According to a study of Ukrainians who were under the age of 18 at the time of the Chornobyl accident, risk of thyroid cancer increased with increasing levels of radiation exposure. These results were published in the Journal of the National Cancer Institute.  The thyroid gland is located in the ...

Increase in Thyroid Cancer Incidence May Reflect Overdiagnosis 05/10/2006
Between 1973 and 2002, the incidence of thyroid cancer in the U.S. increased by more than two-fold. Much of this increase appears to be explained by increased detection of small tumors that may never have become symptomatic. These results were published in the Journal of the American Medical Association. The ...

Phase II Trial of Pretargeted Radioimmunotherapy for Medullary Thyroid Cancer 03/23/2006
According to the results of a study published in the Journal of Clinical Oncology, pretargeted radioimmunotherapy may improve the survival of patients with advanced, high-risk medullary thyroid cancer. Radioimmunotherapy involves treatment with a radioactive substance that is linked to an antibody. When injected into the body, the radioactive substance and ...

Risk of Thyroid Cancer Remains Elevated Among Survivors of Hiroshima and Nagasaki 03/03/2006
Long-term follow-up of Hiroshima and Nagasaki atomic bomb survivors indicates that risk of thyroid cancer remains elevated even long after exposure. These results were published in the Journal of the American Medical Association. The thyroid is a gland located at the bottom of the throat. It is responsible for producing hormones that ...

Local Anesthesia Effective for Thyroidectomy 02/24/2006
According to an article recently published in the Annals of Surgery, local anesthesia reduces hospital stay and medical costs compared to general anesthesia in patients undergoing a thyroidectomy. Furthermore, local anesthesia produces comparable outcomes to general anesthesia. The thyroid is a gland located at the bottom of the throat. It ...

Early Thyroid Removal May Prevent Hereditary Medullary Thyroid Cancer 09/15/2005
Individuals who are destined to develop medullary thyroid cancer as a result of an inherited gene mutation may avoid cancer if their thyroid gland is surgically removed in childhood, according to a study published in the New England Journal of Medicine. The thyroid is a gland located at the bottom ...

Medicare Now Covers PET Scans for Diagnosis of Thyroid Cancer 04/27/2003
The Department of Medicare and Medicaid recently announced the approved coverage of PET scans for the diagnosis of thyroid cancer. The thyroid is a gland located at the bottom of the throat. It is responsible for producing hormones that aid in cellular metabolism. Early diagnosis allows patients to receive ...

Radiation Treatment for Breast Cancer Does Not Increase Risk of Thyroid Cancer 02/14/2002
Women who undergo radiotherapy (RT) as treatment for breast cancer are not at an increased risk of developing thyroid cancer, according to the results of a recent study published in Cancer. Previous clinical studies have indicated that when radiation is used to treat cancer, the radiation can scatter, ...

Radioactive Monoclonal Antibody Shows Promise for Treatment of Metastatic Medullary Thyroid Cancer 02/14/2002
Medullary cancer of the thyroid is a type of cancer affecting the thyroid, a gland located at the base of the throat. This type of cancer can usually be cured by surgery to remove the thyroid gland. However, if the cancer has metastasized (spread from the thyroid to ...