Lenvatinib as an urgent initial therapy in thyroid cancer with remarkable laryngotracheal invasion
Authors' conclusion
Initial LEN therapy rapidly alleviates airway stenosis in advanced thyroid cancer with laryngotracheal invasion, offering a non-invasive alternative to emergency procedures under careful monitoring for fistula formation. LEN is especially valuable as a bridging therapy during the genetic testing period in ATC.
Study context
- Population
- Thyroid cancer patients with remarkable laryngotracheal invasion, among 69 thyroid cancer patients treated with multikinase inhibitor(s)
- Participants
- 14 patients
- Outcome
- Tumor reduction and airway improvement
- Follow-up
- Initial CT post-LEN induction
Methodological detailsResponse assessed by CT per RECIST 1.1
- Response assessed by CT per RECIST 1.1
Main finding
As reported in the abstract
initial CT post-LEN induction
Tumor reduction and airway improvement on initial CT
13 of 14 patients
Median response rate
28.4%
Airway diameter improvement on initial CT
15.9%
Median time to airway symptom resolution
3 days
Observational data: associations, not effects.
Further findings
- Lenvatinib (LEN) successfully used as bridging therapy before BRAF-targeted treatment in anaplastic thyroid cancer (ATC) cases
Safety
- Tumor-tracheal fistula, managed with LEN dose adjustment
- 1 patient
Original publication
Lenvatinib as an urgent initial therapy in thyroid cancer with remarkable laryngotracheal invasion. Eur Thyroid J. Published 8 October 2025. doi:10.
Composed by AI from the published abstract and checked against it. How Briefs are made →