Real-World Outcomes of Tyrosine Kinase Inhibitor–Based Therapy in Advanced Thyroid Carcinoma: A Single-Center Retrospective Study

Objective: Advanced thyroid carcinoma includes biologically distinct subtypes with variable clinical behavior, and the outcomes of targeted therapy in routine practice may differ from those reported in clinical trials. This study evaluated the effectiveness and tolerability of tyrosine kinase inhibitor–based treatments in patients with advanced thyroid carcinoma treated at a single tertiary oncology center.

Methods: In this retrospective single-center study, patients with advanced thyroid carcinoma who received tyrosine kinase inhibitor therapy between 2016 and 2025 were reviewed. Clinical and pathological characteristics, treatment regimens, tumor response according to Response Evaluation Criteria in Solid Tumors (RECIST) version 1.1, progression-free survival (PFS), overall survival (OS), and treatment-related adverse events were analyzed. Survival outcomes were estimated using the Kaplan–Meier method.

Results: A total of 39 patients were included: 24 with radioactive iodine-refractory (RAI) differentiated thyroid carcinoma, 10 with medullary thyroid carcinoma, and 5 with anaplastic thyroid carcinoma. Objective response rates were 62.4%, 70%, and 40%, respectively. Median progression-free survival was 24.4 months (95% CI, 18.1-30.8), 19.3 months (95% CI, 16.0-22.6), and 5.7 months (95% CI, 4.5-6.9), respectively. Median overall survival was 51.7 months (95% CI, 33.4-70.1) in differentiated carcinoma, not reached in medullary carcinoma, and 7.7 months (95% CI, 4.4-10.9) in anaplastic carcinoma. Treatment-related adverse events were observed in 79.1%, 90%, and 60% of patients, respectively. Dose reductions were required in 62.5% of patients with differentiated carcinoma and 40% of those with medullary carcinoma.

Conclusion: This real-world single-center study suggests favorable disease control outcomes with tyrosine kinase inhibitor–based therapies in advanced differentiated and medullary thyroid carcinoma, whereas outcomes remained poor in anaplastic thyroid carcinoma despite targeted treatment. Although adverse events were common, they were generally manageable in routine clinical practice.

Cite this article as: Evinç SJ, Birsin Z, Cebeci S, et al. Real-world outcomes of tyrosine kinase inhibitor–based therapy in advanced thyroid carcinoma: a single-center retrospective study. Cerrahpaşa Med J. 2026, 50, 0046, doi: 10.5152/cjm.2026.26046.