Clinical study of anaplastic carcinoma of the thyroid gland

Abstract

Over a 15-year period, from 1995 to 2009, seven patients with anaplastic carcinoma of the thyroid gland were treated in our hospital, all of whom were female, ranging in age from 60 to 81 years, with an average age of 70.0. The treatment consisted of surgical resection as the primary therapy in 4 patients, radiotherapy in 5 patients, and chemotherapy in none. The three cases treated by radical surgery were able to return to domestic life. The survival time was 3days-18months (with an average of 8.2 months) and all patients died of the original disease. Two cases died by primary tumor, 4 by metastasis, and 1 by both. Although the prognosis of anaplastic carcinoma of the thyroid gland is poor, if possible, radical surgery may provide better QOL and survival results.