Dr. Schlumberger Draws Conclusions From the SELECT Trial in Thyroid Cancer

Martin Schlumberger, MD, Institut Gustave Roussy, Villejuif Cedex, professor of oncology, University Paris-Sud, France, discusses the takeaway points for a community oncologist from the SELECT trial.

Results from the phase III SELECT trial demonstrated that the oral tyrosine kinase inhibitor lenvatinib significantly improved progression-free survival compared with placebo in 131I-refractory differentiated thyroid cancer.

Schlumberger says oncologists need to know that a patient with distant metastases whose progressive disease is no longer responding to radiation therapy must be treated. These patients should not just receive palliative care, but should receive either lenvatinib or sorafenib.

Schlumberger says sorafenib is less effective and less toxic than lenvatinib and a treatment decision should be reached between the patient and doctor.