# Overall survival in anaplastic thyroid carcinoma 2000 to 2019: impact of targeted therapy and neoadjuvant BRAF-MEK inhibition

Source: https://onco.cc/key-papers/paper-maniakas-neoadjuvant-braf-atc-jama-oncol-2020/  
OnCo record `paper-maniakas-neoadjuvant-braf-atc-jama-oncol-2020` (Key paper). Data CC BY-NC 4.0, attribute "Data from OnCo (onco.cc)"; commercial use needs a licence.

## TL;DR

At MD Anderson, survival in anaplastic thyroid cancer improved dramatically over two decades as BRAF testing, targeted therapy and neoadjuvant BRAF-MEK inhibition followed by surgery were introduced, with one-year survival rising from 35 to 59 percent.

## Summary

Retrospective cohort study of 479 patients with anaplastic thyroid carcinoma treated at a single centre between 2000 and 2019, divided into three eras, examining the association of targeted therapy, immunotherapy and neoadjuvant BRAF-MEK inhibitor therapy with survival.

One-year overall survival rose from 35 percent (2000 to 2013) to 47 percent (2014 to 2016) and 59 percent (2017 to 2019); BRAF-mutant patients treated with neoadjuvant BRAF-directed therapy and surgery had 94 percent one-year survival.

## Fields

- Kind: Key paper
- Last checked: 2026-09-17
- Journal: JAMA Oncology
- Year: 2020
- DOI: 10.1001/jamaoncol.2020.3362
- Authors: Maniakas A, Dadu R, Busaidy NL, et al.
- Findings: One-year overall survival 35 percent, 47 percent and 59 percent across three eras.; Neoadjuvant BRAF-directed therapy with surgery: one-year survival 94 percent.
- What it means: Neoadjuvant dabrafenib-trametinib to convert unresectable BRAF-mutant anaplastic thyroid cancer into operable disease is now a guideline-endorsed strategy.
- Caveats: Single-centre retrospective data with era and selection effects.

## Sources

- JAMA Oncol 2020: https://doi.org/10.1001/jamaoncol.2020.3362
- PubMed: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/32761153/

## Connected records

- cancers: [Anaplastic thyroid cancer](https://onco.cc/cancers/anaplastic-thyroid-cancer/)
- journals: [JAMA Oncology](https://onco.cc/journals/jama-oncology/)

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