Role of External Beam Radiotherapy in Patients With Advanced or Recurrent Nonanaplastic Thyroid Cancer: Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center Experience

Purpose: External beam radiotherapy (EBRT) plays a controversial role in the management of nonanaplastic thyroid cancer. We reviewed our institution's outcomes in patients treated with EBRT for advanced or recurrent nonanaplastic thyroid cancer. Methods and Materials: Between April 1989 and April 2006, 76 patients with nonanaplastic thyroid cancer were treated with EBRT. The median follow-up for the surviving patients was 35.3 months (range, 4.2-178.4). The lesions were primarily advanced and included Stage T2 in 5 (7%), T3 in 5 (7%), and T4 in 64 (84%) patients. Stage N1 disease was present in 60 patients (79%). Distant metastases before EBRT were identified in 27 patients (36%). The median total EBRT dose delivered was 6,300 cGy. The histologic features examined included medullary in 12 patients (16%) and nonmedullary in 64 (84%). Of the 76 patients, 71 (93%) had undergone surgery before RT, and radioactive iodine treatment was used in 56 patients (74%). Results: The 2- and 4-year overall locoregional control rate for all histologic types was 86% and 72%, respectively, and the 2- and 4-year overall survival rate for all patients was 74% and 55%, respectively. No significant differences were found in locoregional control, overall survival, or distant metastases-free survival for patients with complete resection, microscopic residual disease, or gross residual disease. Grade 3 acute mucositis and dysphagia occurred in 14 (18%) and 24 (32%) patients, respectively. Late adverse toxicity was notable for percutaneous endoscopic gastrostomy tube use in 4 patients (5%). Conclusion: The results of our study have shown that EBRT is effective for locoregional control of selected locally advanced or recurrent nonanaplastic thyroid malignancies, with acceptable acute toxicity.