[Vandetanib, in the management of patients with locally advanced or metastatic medullary thyroid carcinomas].

Medullary thyroid cancer (MTC) is a rare cancer. Vandetanib, a RET tyrosine-kinase inhibitor, significantly increased progression free survival and is the first treatment approved in France for unresectable, locally advanced or metastatic MTC that is symptomatic or progressive. Most frequents adverse events are diarrhea, folliculitis and asthenia. The prolongation of the QT interval on electrocardiogram is frequent but in the most of cases not clinically relevant. A good selection of the patients who could benefit from this treatment and management of side effect are important for the risk-benefit assessment.