Comprehensive literature review: Recent advances in diagnosing and managing patients with poorly differentiated thyroid carcinoma

Abstract

Poorly differentiated thyroid carcinomas are a rare form of thyroid carcinomas; they display an intermediate behavior between well-differentiated and anaplastic thyroid carcinomas. PDTCs are more aggressive than the well-differentiated, but less aggressive than the undifferentiated or anaplastic, forms. No clinical features can accurately diagnose poorly differentiated thyroid carcinomas. Thus, the results of histocytology, immunohistochemistry, and molecular genetics tests aid in diagnosis. Given the aggressiveness of poorly differentiated thyroid carcinomas and the poor survival rates in patients who undergo surgery alone, a multimodality treatment approach is required. We conducted a comprehensive review of the current diagnostic and therapeutic tools in the management of patients with poorly differentiated thyroid carcinomas. © 2013 Jack Hannallah et al.