Studies on the possible application of BNCT to thyroid cancer

Abstract

Thyroid cancer may occur as a differentiated or an undifferentiated or anaplasic form. The differentiated forms, such as papillary or follicular carcinomas, are in general of a relatively benign prognosis. Most if not all still have a normal uptake of iodine, and therefore surgical thyroidectomy is completed with a therapeutic dose of 131I. In many cases, these forms are well controlled and complete remission of the tumor is obtained. In other instances, the prognosis is not so good. The undifferentiated (UTC) form or the recurrence of some differentiated forms of this pathology has lost their capability to concentrate radioiodine, and therefore the therapeutic dose of this halogen is useless. These last forms are very aggressive and have a fatal outcome in rather a short time after their diagnosis. As a consequence, new treatments are being explored in order to offer these patients a better future. Thanks to the advances in the knowledge of their molecular biology, new chemotherapeutic compounds have been developed and are currently being studied in several clinical trials. Besides, we have started some years ago the study of the possibility of the application of BNCT to the treatment of these pathologies [1, 2].