Immunotherapy and Thyroid Cancer: An Evolving Story
Produced by Marra Aghajani, Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) candidate, School of Medicine at Western Sydney University.
Abstract:
Today, there is no effective treatment available for patients who develop the most aggressive forms of thyroid cancer. An alternative treatment option that has shown great promise in many different types of cancer, including melanoma and lung cancer, is immunotherapy. Immunotherapy works by switching on your immune system, allowing your body to recognise and destroy cancer cells. However, very little research has been done investigating immunotherapy in patients with advanced forms of thyroid cancer. Our research is focused on finding ways to identify thyroid cancer patients most likely to benefit from immunotherapy prior to starting treatment. By doing this, we aim to tailor treatment to each individual patient, which will prevent unnecessary side effects and reduce costs for both patients and the healthcare system. This work will ultimately enable patients with thyroid cancer to receive personalised treatment that gives them the best chance of survival and better quality of life.
In my animation, I describe the story of Matt, a patient diagnosed with the most aggressive form of thyroid cancer. Following treatment, he experienced a 50% reduction in his total tumour size, with minimal treatment associated side effects. Throughout the course of my career as a clinician-scientist, I hope to continue pursuing translational research aimed at improving health outcomes for those living with rare cancers. By defining the molecular pathology underlying these diseases in the lab, we aim to develop personalised treatments and evolve existing models of care.
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