Systemic therapies offer hope for people with aggressive thyroid cancer. Penn Medicine medical oncology specialists have proven expertise in treating the most advanced thyroid cancers.
Our team focuses on your comfort throughout your treatment. We're committed to making a difference in your quality of life.
Systemic Therapy for Thyroid Cancer: The Penn Medicine Difference
Research conducted at Penn Medicine led to FDA approval of treatments that have become the standard of care for advanced thyroid cancer.
Penn Medicine medical and radiation oncologists are experts in treating advanced thyroid cancer with chemotherapy, targeted therapies and radiation. We never stop seeking new ways to treat thyroid cancers.
What is Systemic Therapy?
Systemic therapies are drugs that travel in the blood throughout your body to find and destroy cancer cells. We use these drugs to treat aggressive thyroid cancer and thyroid cancers that have spread to other parts of the body (metastasized).
Types of Systemic Therapy for Thyroid Cancer
When cancers don't respond to first-line thyroid cancer treatment, our experts may recommend systemic therapies. We may use these therapies alongside surgery for thyroid cancer or radiation therapy for thyroid cancer:
- Chemotherapy
- Targeted therapy
Chemotherapy
Chemotherapy drugs work throughout your body to destroy cancer cells. You usually receive these drugs through a vein (infusion).
The type of chemotherapy used depends on the thyroid cancer type and how far cancer has spread (its stage). Chemotherapy drugs used to treat advanced thyroid cancers can include:
- Anthracyclines (doxorubicin)
- Platins (carboplatin or cisplatin)
- Taxanes (docetaxel or paclitaxel)
Because chemotherapy can destroy healthy cells, many people who take these drugs experience some side effects. Most side effects are temporary and usually stop when treatment ends. Side effects can include:
- Bruising or bleeding easily
- Fatigue
- Hair loss
- Infection
- Nausea and vomiting
Targeted Therapy
Targeted therapy drugs find and fight changes inside cancer cells that cause the cells to grow in ways they shouldn't. Our thyroid cancer specialists analyze samples of your cells and work together with molecular pathologists in our Pathology Department and Center for Personalized Diagnostics to identify these genetic changes.
We use this information to create a personalized targeted therapy treatment plan for your unique needs. Depending on the type of thyroid cancer, we may treat you with:
Kinase Inhibitors
Doctors recommend drugs that block certain enzymes (kinases) inside your cells. These enzymes send messages to your cells, such as telling the cell to grow.
Multikinase inhibitors are drugs that block different kinases within the same cell. These drugs block multiple proteins that tell cells to grow or to form new blood vessels that tumors need to survive.
BRAF Inhibitors
Some thyroid cancer cells have changes in the BRAF gene. This gene instructs cells to make a protein to transmit chemical signals to the cell. BRAF inhibitors, often given together with MEK inhibitors (Mekinist) include:
- Dabrafenib (Tafinlar)
- Vemurafenib (Zelboraf)
NTRK Inhibitors
Certain thyroid cancer cells have changes in the NTRK genes, which tell cells how to make proteins needed by nerve cells. NTRK inhibitors include:
- Entrectinib (Rozlytrek)
- Larotrectinib (Vitrakvi)
RET Inhibitors
Some thyroid cancer cells have changes in the RET gene that tells certain thyroid cell proteins how to behave. RET inhibitors include:
- Pralsetinib (Gavreto)
- Selpercatinib (Retevmo)
Clinical Trials for Thyroid Cancer
Penn Medicine medical oncologists continuously seek new ways to treat aggressive and advanced cancers. We do this research through cancer clinical trials.
Access to clinical trials expands the number of treatment choices available to treat advanced thyroid cancer.
Penn Medicine is currently enrolling people with a rare type of thyroid cancer, called Medullary Thyroid Cancer, in a new clinical trial:
Ask your care team for more information and to see if you are a candidate.
Support Services During Treatment for Advanced Thyroid Cancer
Our medical oncologists are with you at every step, ensuring you have everything you need to manage treatment. We also offer additional support services for thyroid cancer such as counseling, support groups and transportation help.
Make an Appointment
Please call 800-789-7366 or request a callback.