Treatment outcomes in 13 cases of anaplastic thyroid carcinoma: A single-center experience

We herein report 13 cases of anaplastic thyroid carcinoma (ATC) treated in the National Kyushu Cancer Center from 1972 to 2012. All patients' outcomes were death from ATC, and the survival period was from 1 to 15 months (mean: 5.3 months). The rates of local control and distant metastasis were 8% and 88%, respectively. Survival periods compared by the Prognostic Index, which was useful for predicting the prognosis of ATC, were not significantly different. The survival period of the radical operation group tended to be longer than that of the non-radical operation group, but not significantly. It is important to consider multimodal therapy for local control according to local progression and no distant metastasis. However, since ATC rapidly becomes uncontrollable, we should consider best supportive care as one of the choices.