Spanish consensus for the management of patients with anaplastic cell thyroid carcinoma / Consenso español para el tratamiento de los pacientes con carcinoma anaplásico de tiroides

Anaplastic thyroid cancer (ATC) is the most aggressive solid tumour known and is a rare but highly lethal form of thyroid cancer that requires a multidisciplinary team approach. No Spanish consensus exists for management of patients with ATC. The Thyroid Cancer Group of the Spanish Society of Endocrinology and Nutrition and the GETHI (Grupo Español de Enfermedades Huérfanas e Infrecuentes) of the Spanish Society of Oncology, in agreement with the Boards of these Societies, commissioned an independent task force to develop a wide consensus on ATC. The relevant literature was reviewed, including serial PubMed searches supplemented with additional articles. The consensus includes the characteristics, diagnosis, initial evaluation, establishment of treatment goals, approaches to locoregional disease (surgery, radiotherapy, systemic therapy, supportive care during active treatment), approaches to advanced/metastatic disease, palliative care options, monitoring, and long-term follow-up of ATC. For operable disease, a combination of radical surgery with adjuvant radiotherapy or chemotherapy, using agents such as doxorubicin, cisplatin and paclitaxel, is the best treatment strategy. Cytotoxic drugs are poorly effective for advanced/metastatic ATC. On the other hand, targeted agents may represent a viable therapeutic option. Patients with stage IVA/IVB resectable disease have the best prognosis, particularly if a multimodal approach is used, and some stage IVB unresectable patients may respond to aggressive therapy. Patients with stage IVC disease should be considered for clinical trials or or for hospice/palliative care depending on their preference. This is the first Spanish consensus for ATC, and provides recommendations for management of this extremely aggressive malignancy. Novel systemic therapies are being tested, and more effective combinations are needed to improve patient outcomes. Although more aggressive radiotherapy has reduced locoregional recurrence, mean overall survival has not improved in the past 50 years

El cáncer anaplásico de tiroides (CAT) es el tumour sólido más agresivo conocido y es una forma rara pero muy letal de cáncer de tiroides que requiere un enfoque multidisciplinario. No existe ningún consenso español para definir la conducta a seguir en los pacientes con CAT. El Grupo de Cáncer de Tiroides de la Sociedad Española de Endocrinología y Nutrición y el GETHI (Grupo Español de Enfermedades Huérfanas e Infrecuentes) de la Sociedad Española de Oncología, de acuerdo con las Juntas Directivas de estas Sociedades decidieron que un grupo de trabajo independiente desarrollaran un amplio consenso sobre el CAT. Se revisó la literatura relevante, incluyendo la búsqueda en PubMed de las series más relevantes. En el consenso se incluyen las características, el diagnóstico, la evaluación inicial, el establecimiento de los objetivos del tratamiento, la actitud a seguir ante la enfermedad locorregional (cirugía, radioterapia, terapia sistémica, la atención de apoyo durante el tratamiento activo), acerca a la enfermedad avanzada/metastásica, las opciones de cuidados paliativos, la vigilancia y el seguimiento a largo plazo del CAT. Para la enfermedad operable, la combinación de la cirugía radical con radioterapia o quimioterapia adyuvante, utilizando agentes tales como doxorrubicina, cisplatino y paclitaxel, es la mejor estrategia de tratamiento. Los fármacos citotóxicos para los casos avanzados/metastásicos de CAT son poco eficaces. Por otra parte, los agentes dirigidos a dianas específicas pueden representar una opción terapéutica viable. Los pacientes con enfermedad resecable en estadio IVA/IVB tienen el mejor pronóstico, sobre todo si se utiliza un enfoque multimodal, y algunos pacientes no resecables etapa IVB pueden responder a una terapia agresiva. En los pacientes con enfermedad en estadio IVC se debe considerar o bien si son aptos para entrar en un ensayo clínico o bien para cuidados paliativos, dependiendo de la preferencia del paciente. Este es el primer consenso español para el CAT y ofrece recomendaciones para la conducta a seguir en este tumour maligno extremadamente agresivo. Las terapias sistémicas más recientes están siendo evaluadas, y se necesitan combinaciones más eficaces para mejorar los resultados en los pacientes tratados. Aunque la radioterapia más agresiva ha reducido las recurrencias locorregionales, la media de supervivencia global no ha mejorado en los últimos 50 años

Diagnosis and treatment of atypical and anaplastic meningiomas: a review.

Atypical and anaplastic meningiomas are uncommon tumors with a poorer prognosis than benign meningiomas. We reviewed the current literature and attempted to integrate and summarize available information to determine a logical approach to these tumors. Both tumors are rare and are often integrated with benign meningiomas when treatments are evaluated. In addition, because there has not been one histopathological classification scheme for atypical and anaplastic meningiomas in the past, there are numerous inconsistencies in the literature. Malignant progression with accumulation of mutations in a benign meningioma can result in an atypical and/or anaplastic meningioma. Both tumors are difficult to manage and have high recurrence and poor survival rates. The extent of tumor resection and histological grade are the key determinants for recurrence. In addition, metastases are unusual, but they do occur. We also review the evidence available that has resulted in the current World Health Organization classification. Radiation therapy can be used as an adjunctive treatment after both total and subtotal resection. In addition, the role of stereotactic radiosurgery is increasing, along with a possible role for brachytherapy. There are no effective chemotherapeutic agents available. A treatment algorithm is suggested.

[Clinical course and morphological characteristics of different types of seminoma]. / Klinicheskoe techenie i morfologicheskie osobennosti razlichnykh tipov seminomy.

A comparative analysis of morphological peculiarities and clinical course of seminoma makes the case for distinguishing three types of the tumor. Prognosis in cases of typical seminoma depends on the level of differentiation of tumor cell elements and stage of tumor. Alkylating drugs and radiotherapy should be a method of choice in treatment of patients with typical seminoma. High orchofuniculectomy may be sufficient at the initial stages of spermatocytic seminoma due to its favorable clinical course determined by a high level of specific differentiation of tumor cells. Electron microscopic analysis of anaplastic seminoma showed cells with signs of differentiation towards trophoblast (chorionepithelioma elements) and embryonal entoderm (yolk sac tumor) characterized by a relatively higher malignancy. These data account for the tendency of anaplastic seminoma to rapidly disseminate and suggest application of adjuvant chemotherapy and lymphadenectomy.