What the trial was testing
The trial enrolled 152 patients with thyroid cancer. The study was sponsored by National Cancer Institute and tracked outcomes across the full group of patients who matched the trial's eligibility profile.
It was initial testing (phase 2). Trials at this stage are designed to produce evidence regulators and physicians can act on — not just observations to follow up later.
What the results showed
49% tumor response rate in advanced radioiodine-resistant thyroid cancer.
The Lancet Oncology · 2010 · NCT00625846
These findings — that in advanced radioiodine-resistant differentiated thyroid cancer on pazopanib — were published in the The Lancet Oncology and represent the headline result of the study.
Researchers tracked outcomes across 152 patients enrolled in the trial. The result was consistent enough across the group that the team felt confident reporting it.
What this means for patients
For patients with thyroid cancer, this result changes the calculus on what to ask their care team about. Whether it changes day-to-day care depends on factors like disease subtype, prior treatments, and where the patient is in their care journey.
What you can do now
Pazopanib is FDA-approved for kidney cancer and soft tissue sarcoma but is used off-label for advanced thyroid cancer. Two similar drugs — lenvatinib and sorafenib — are specifically FDA-approved for radioiodine-resistant thyroid cancer. Ask an endocrine oncologist which approved option fits your case.
Eligibility for the treatments mentioned above depends on specific test results and clinical history. Bring this summary, the trial name, and your most recent labs or pathology report to your next visit.
Open thyroid cancer trials
Targeted Therapy to Increase RAI Uptake in Metastatic DTC
Papillary thyroid cancer (PTC) is a common type of differentiated thyroid cancer (DTC) in children and represents the second most common cancer in adolescent females. Recently targeted drugs that block many of the genetic drivers of DTC have become available. While Investigators know that these drugs shrink DTC tumors in many cases, the impact on radioactive iodine (RAI) avidity has not been systematically studied.
TRAIL Study: Feasibility and Pilot
This is a pilot study to compare two ways of managing newly identified thyroid nodules that are likely to be cancerous based on ultrasound result and which under usual care would undergo immediate biopsy. The main goals of this pilot study are 1) compare anxiety at 6 months in each treatment arm using the validated instrument Anxiety-CA, 2) measure thyroid quality of life in each treatment arm Participants will be randomized to one of two groups: 1. immediate biopsy (usual care) 2. Active monitoring (serial ultrasound based monitoring and close clinical follow-up)