Novel approaches in the treatment of thyroid cancer

Although most patients with thyroid cancer do well with traditional therapy, some will go on to develop progressive disease. In the past, few effective treatment options were available for patients with metastatic thyroid carcinoma. However, advances in our understanding of the molecular basis of thyroid cancer initiation and progression have led to many new potential therapies targeted at specific molecular pathways. Many of these novel compounds have been evaluated in cell lines, animal models, and recently, in clinical trials. This review will focus on new potential therapies in the treatment of progressive thyroid cancer, with an emphasis on the activity of these agents in the clinical arena.