What the trial was testing
The trial enrolled 53 patients with thyroid cancer. The study was sponsored by Dana-Farber 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
3 of 10 people with anaplastic thyroid cancer responded to the combination immunotherapy.
JAMA oncology · 2024 · NCT03246958
These findings — that tumors shrank with the two-drug immunotherapy combination — were published in the JAMA oncology and represent the headline result of the study.
Researchers tracked outcomes across 53 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
This was mid-stage testing and the drug combination is not FDA-approved for thyroid cancer. The study didn't meet its main goal, but doctors saw some responses in rare, aggressive forms. If you have advanced thyroid cancer, ask your oncologist about approved options like lenvatinib or cabozantinib, or whether any immunotherapy trials might be right for you.
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
The Value of 68Ga-FAPI PET/CT in Preoperative Evaluation of Thyroid Cancer with Lymph Node Metastases
This study aims to investigate the value of 68Ga-FAPI in the preoperative evaluation of thyroid cancer of different pathologic types.
Efficacy of Organoid-Based Drug Screening to Guide Treatment for Locally Advanced Thyroid Cancer
The current study aims to explore the potential advantages of anti-cancer therapy that is implemented based on drug sensitivity testing. This pertains to individuals with locally advanced thyroid cancer who have undergone conventional therapy in the past or unresectable patients .