An update on redifferentiation strategies for radioactive iodine-refractory differentiated thyroid carcinoma.

PURPOSE

Although most patients with differentiated thyroid carcinoma (DTC) have an excellent prognosis, a subset will experience radioactive iodine refractory (RAI-R) disease, associated with recurrence, distant metastases and worse prognosis. In recent years, redifferentiation has emerged as an attractive approach for patients with RAI-R DTC, a strategy to induce iodine uptake in RAI-R DTC tumor cells and ultimately prolong time to initiation of systemic therapy.

METHODS

An overview and critical appraisal of the existing literature on redifferentiation will be presented in this review under the lens of the genotype-specific targeted therapy administered with redifferentiation intent.

RESULTS/CONCLUSIONS: Due to the significant heterogeneity across studies, it will be key to harmonize research methodology and support future larger, multicenter prospective trials in order to identify the most suitable candidates for this therapeutic strategy.