Advances of immunotherapy in refractory thyroid carcinoma

In recent years, the incidence of thyroid cancer has increased significantly and it has become the most common malignant tumor of the endocrine system. Despite the favorable prognosis of most thyroid cancers, a small fraction of differentiated thyroid carcinomas and almost all anaplastic thyroid carcinomas grouped together as refractory thyroid carcinoma (RTC) , remain resistant to standard treatment options, including early surgery and radioactive 131I treatment. It is unclear what treatment is best for cases of RTC. Tumor immunotherapy is an emerging treatment after surgery, radiotherapy, chemotherapy and targeted therapy. Immunotherapy has shown great potential in various malignant tumors and may provide a new choice for the treatment of RTC. Key words: Refractory thyroid carcinoma; Tumor immunotherapy; Immune checkpoint blockades; Personalized tumor vaccines; CAR-T