Hu Highlights Recent Advances and Approvals in RET-Altered Thyroid Cancer

Dr. Hu discusses the importance of testing for RET alterations in thyroid cancer, the FDA approvals of selpercatinib and pralsetinib, and the changing dynamics between medical oncologists and endocrinologists.

Welcome to OncLive On AirTM! I’m your host today, Caroline Seymour.

OncLive On AirTM is a podcast from OncLive, which provides oncology professionals with the resources and information they need to provide the best patient care. In both digital and print formats, OncLive covers every angle of oncology practice, from new technology to treatment advances to important regulatory decisions.

In today’s episode, sponsored by Eli Lilly and Company, we had the pleasure of speaking with Mimi I. Hu, MD, a professor in the Department of Endocrine Neoplasia and Hormonal Disorders in the Division of Internal Medicine at The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, to discuss the clinical implications of RET mutations in medullary thyroid cancer.

Within the past year, 2 RET inhibitors have been approved for patients with thyroid cancer.

In May 2020, the FDA granted an accelerated approval to selpercatinib (Retevmo) for the treatment of patients with RET alteration—positive medullary thyroid cancer and other thyroid cancers.

Specifically, the approval is for the treatment of adult and pediatric patients 12 years of age and older with advanced or metastatic RET-mutant medullary thyroid cancer who require systemic therapy and adult and pediatric patients 12 years of age and older with advanced or metastatic RET fusion—positive thyroid cancer who require systemic therapy and who are radioactive iodine-refractory.

Later that year, in December 2020, the FDA approved pralsetinib (Gavreto) for the treatment of adult and pediatric patients 12 years of age and older with advanced or metastatic RET-mutant medullary thyroid cancer who require systemic therapy or RET fusion-positive thyroid cancer who require systemic therapy and who are refractory to radioactive iodine.

In our exclusive interview, Hu discussed the importance of testing for RET alterations in thyroid cancer, the FDA approvals of selpercatinib and pralsetinib, and the changing dynamics between medical oncologists and endocrinologists.

Dr. Hu serves on the advisory board for Eli Lilly & Co and Blueprint Medicines, and she is a site PI for a phase 3 trial of Eli Lilly's drug, selpercatinib.