Airway management, symptom relief and best supportive care in anaplastic thyroid cancer. Review uri icon

Overview

abstract

  • PURPOSE OF REVIEW: Anaplastic thyroid cancer (ATC) is a rare but aggressive form of thyroid cancer that is associated with significant morbidity and mortality. Because ATC is locally invasive, airway management is a critical component of treating these patients. Timely decisions regarding airway interventions can contribute to symptom relief and supportive care for patients. Over the last decade, there has been a paradigm shift in our recommendations for airway management. The purpose of this review is to summarize airway management, symptom relief and best supportive care for patients with ATC. RECENT FINDINGS: More recent literature discusses the morbidities associated with tracheostomy and instead focuses on the benefits of supportive care and surgical resection. The multidisciplinary treating team should initiate early discussions for airway management, end-of-life care and palliative goals for patients with ATC. Tracheostomy should be offered to patients with careful thought and preoperative planning. SUMMARY: Our goal in symptom relief and airway management is to improve the quality of life of patients with ATC and avoid the unnecessary morbidity of tracheostomy until clinically indicated.

publication date

  • April 1, 2020

Research

keywords

  • Airway Management
  • Thyroid Carcinoma, Anaplastic

Identity

PubMed Central ID

  • PMC7360336

Scopus Document Identifier

  • 85081092027

Digital Object Identifier (DOI)

  • 10.1097/MOO.0000000000000619

PubMed ID

  • 32022733

Additional Document Info

volume

  • 28

issue

  • 2