About this Research Topic

Background

Thyroid research has been particularly hot in the last few years because of the recent description of new diseases and their association with particular genetic defects (e.g. MCT8, SBP2, THRA or IGSF1 defects). The novel findings obtained through the application of new techniques (e.g. NGS with the description of new candidate genes for heritable thyroid diseases) allowed a more precise classification of the disorders that affect of thyroid function and that opened the pathway for the design of new therapeutics that are currently under evaluation. This also holds true also for thyroid cancer: the publication of the thyroid cancer ATLAS, which reports all the mutational events associated with >90% of >450 tumors as well as a similar report on >250 Italian tumors brought several advancements in the diagnosis and management of thyroid cancer. Among these, the design of molecular tools supporting the diagnosis of thyroid nodules with indeterminate cytology or the personalized management and treatment of the patients affected with aggressive tumors. The clinical management of thyroid diseases has also been recently modified by the proposal of new treatments for thyroid nodules (such as the mini-invasive thermoablation) or thyroid-associated orbitopathy (such as the tocilizumab trial). In addition, the studies of non-endocrine cancers, such as the skin, vascular or muscle neoplasms, revealed how modifications to thyroid hormone metabolism and action can account for the growth and aggressiveness of these tumors.

In Italy, a special meeting in Rome, Italy (1st Italian Thyroid Preceptorship, 12-13 April 2019) has been organized with senior and young researchers in order to foster the collaboration between research groups with a special focus on the recent discoveries in the thyroid field. Therefore, and this Research Topic is therefore devoted to collect contributions (a series of mini-reviews, opinions) aiming to update and comment on these recent breakthroughs and propose new views to the general readers of Frontiers.

Main Topics to be Covered:
1. Update on Disorders of Thyroid Hormone Action and Metabolism
2. Initial Treatment of Differentiated Thyroid Cancer: Towards a Personalized Medicine
3. Thyroid Nodules: Update on Diagnosis and Treatment
4. Update on Fundamental Mechanisms of Thyroid Cancer
5. Graves' Disease and Postpartum Period: An Intriguing Relationship

Keywords: Thyroid hormone action, Thyroid Cancer, Thyroid Nodules, Pregnancy, Thyroid-associated orbitopathy

Important note: All contributions to this Research Topic must be within the scope of the section and journal to which they are submitted, as defined in their mission statements. Frontiers reserves the right to guide an out-of-scope manuscript to a more suitable section or journal at any stage of peer review.

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