Current treatment of
endocrine cancers relies primarily on surgical resection, which is generally effective only for localized disease. Radioactive
iodine treatment is an important modality for those
thyroid cancers that maintain the ability to take up
iodine. For
endocrine cancers that are no longer localized, current modes of
therapy, including various combinations of
chemotherapy and radiation, are inadequate, posing a major challenge to ongoing research to develop more effective methods for diagnosis and treatment. In this article, we offer some predictions of future trends in the diagnosis and treatment of
endocrine cancers. Following a general introduction, we focus on
thyroid cancer as a paradigm for what we may expect in future developments, and then add selected comments relevant to parathyroid, adrenocortical, and gastrointestinal and pancreatic
neuroendocrine tumors. Rapid, inexpensive whole genome sequencing of both germline and
tumor DNA, novel molecular and functional imaging, as well as new
biomarkers are expected to enable more precise diagnosis, targeted
therapy, and possibly prevention. Translating the coming wave of data on the molecular pathogenesis of
endocrine cancers into practical diagnostic and treatment modalities will require new forms of collaboration between investigators, clinicians, and industry.