97 Thyroid Cancer Clinical Trials Recruiting Now (May 2026): Papillary, Follicular, Medullary, Anaplastic — RET, BRAF, RAI-Refractory
Last updated: May 22, 2026
Current Clinical Trial Landscape
Thyroid cancer subtypes (treatment differs sharply by type):
- Differentiated thyroid cancer (DTC) — papillary (~80%) and follicular (~10%). Usually curable with surgery + radioactive iodine (RAI). Trials focus on the RAI-refractory subset.
- Medullary thyroid carcinoma (MTC) — arises from calcitonin-producing C-cells; ~50% RET-mutation-driven. Distinct treatment landscape (RET inhibitors, anlotinib).
- Anaplastic thyroid cancer (ATC) — rare, aggressive, often BRAF V600E-driven. The most trial-intensive subtype relative to incidence.
Active research areas in 2026:
- RAI redifferentiation — restoring iodine uptake with RET or BRAF/MEK inhibitors before re-attempting RAI
- RET-targeted therapy — selpercatinib, pralsetinib for RET-fusion DTC and RET-mutant MTC
- BRAF-directed therapy — dabrafenib + trametinib for BRAF V600E anaplastic + papillary
- Immunotherapy combinations — pembrolizumab + lenvatinib, especially in anaplastic disease
- Novel TKIs for RAI-refractory DTC — AL2846 (catequentinib) Phase 3, lenvatinib dose optimization
Standard of care: DTC: surgery (thyroidectomy) ± RAI ± TSH suppression; RAI-refractory metastatic: lenvatinib or sorafenib (multikinase TKIs). MTC: surgery; advanced: cabozantinib, vandetanib, or selpercatinib/pralsetinib if RET-mutant. ATC: BRAF V600E → dabrafenib + trametinib (often + pembrolizumab); BRAF wild-type → chemoradiation + clinical trial. Molecular testing (RET, BRAF, NTRK) is increasingly standard before systemic therapy.
Recruiting Trials by Subtype
Differentiated Thyroid Cancer (DTC) — RAI-Refractory & Redifferentiation
For papillary/follicular thyroid cancer that no longer responds to radioactive iodine, or strategies to restore iodine sensitivity:
- NCT06860971 - AL2846 (catequentinib) vs placebo in advanced RAI-refractory differentiated thyroid cancer (Phase 3)
- NCT06458036 - RAISE: selpercatinib before RAI in RET-fusion thyroid cancer (redifferentiation; Phase 2)
- NCT05668962 - Restoring I-131 uptake with selpercatinib in RET fusion-positive RAI-refractory thyroid cancer (Phase 2)
- NCT07092514 - Lenvatinib 24 mg/day vs 10 mg/day for symptomatic or progressive RAI-refractory DTC (dose optimization; Phase 2)
- NCT04290663 - Systematic vs molecular-marker-guided RAI administration after surgery (Phase 3)
Medullary Thyroid Carcinoma (MTC)
Calcitonin-producing C-cell cancer; ~50% driven by RET mutations (germline in MEN2 syndromes or somatic):
- NCT05830500 - Anlotinib in advanced medullary thyroid carcinoma (Phase 4)
- NCT07383246 - CTR-FAPI-guided precision surgery for newly diagnosed MTC (Phase 3)
RET-mutant MTC patients should also see the RET-targeted section below (selpercatinib, pralsetinib).
Anaplastic Thyroid Cancer (ATC) — Aggressive, BRAF-Enriched
Rare and rapidly progressive. BRAF V600E status determines the most effective approach:
- NCT06079333 - Neoadjuvant + adjuvant targeted therapy in BRAF-mutated anaplastic thyroid cancer (Phase 2)
- NCT06374602 - Pembrolizumab + lenvatinib in anaplastic thyroid cancer (Phase 2)
- NCT03975231 - Dabrafenib + trametinib + IMRT in BRAF-mutated anaplastic thyroid cancer (Phase 1)
- NCT06902376 - XL092 (zanzalintinib) + cemiplimab in BRAF wild-type thyroid cancer (Phase 1)
Recruiting Trials by Molecular Driver
RET-Targeted (Fusion in DTC, Mutation in MTC)
- NCT06458036 - RAISE: selpercatinib pre-RAI in RET-fusion thyroid cancer
- NCT05668962 - Selpercatinib RAI-redifferentiation in RET fusion-positive disease
Selpercatinib (Retevmo) and pralsetinib are FDA-approved for RET-altered thyroid cancer; trials now test redifferentiation and earlier-line use.
BRAF V600E-Targeted
- NCT05768178 - DETERMINE (Arm 05): vemurafenib + cobimetinib in BRAF-mutated tumors including thyroid (Phase 2/3 basket)
- NCT06079333 - Neoadjuvant/adjuvant BRAF-targeted therapy in BRAF-mutated anaplastic thyroid cancer
Immunotherapy
- NCT05852223 - Pembrolizumab in high-risk thyroid cancer (Phase 2)
- NCT06374602 - Pembrolizumab + lenvatinib in anaplastic thyroid cancer (Phase 2)
- NCT07181720 - CD70-targeted CAR-T in CD70-positive advanced solid tumors including thyroid (Phase 1)
Showing selected notable trials. View all 97 recruiting interventional thyroid cancer trials on ClinicalTrials.gov.
Key Biomarkers for Trial Matching
Molecular testing increasingly determines eligibility. The clinically actionable markers in thyroid cancer:
- RET fusion (papillary DTC) / RET mutation (medullary MTC) — selpercatinib, pralsetinib eligibility
- BRAF V600E (papillary, anaplastic) — dabrafenib + trametinib; redifferentiation trials
- NTRK fusion (rare) — larotrectinib, entrectinib eligibility
- RAS mutations (follicular, follicular-variant papillary) — prognostic + some targeted trials
- TERT promoter mutation — high-risk prognostic marker; may intensify treatment
- RAI avidity / thyroglobulin / calcitonin — RAI uptake status (refractory vs avid) and tumor-marker trends gate many trials
Frequently Asked Questions
How do I find thyroid cancer clinical trials I'm eligible for?
Paste your medical summary into ClinTrialFinder to get AI-matched thyroid cancer trials in minutes. The tool considers your subtype (papillary, follicular, medullary, or anaplastic), molecular drivers (RET, BRAF V600E, NTRK, RAS), radioactive-iodine (RAI) status, and prior treatments.
What thyroid cancer trials are currently recruiting?
There are 97 recruiting interventional thyroid cancer trials as of May 2026 across all subtypes. Notable trials include selpercatinib for RAI-redifferentiation in RET-fusion cancer (RAISE), lenvatinib dose optimization for RAI-refractory DTC, AL2846 (catequentinib) Phase 3 in RAI-refractory DTC, dabrafenib + trametinib + radiation for BRAF-mutated anaplastic thyroid cancer, pembrolizumab + lenvatinib in anaplastic disease, and anlotinib in advanced medullary thyroid carcinoma.
What does "radioactive iodine refractory" (RAI-refractory) mean for trial eligibility?
Differentiated thyroid cancers (papillary, follicular) are usually treated with radioactive iodine (RAI). When the cancer stops responding — no iodine uptake, or progression despite RAI — it is called RAI-refractory. This is a key eligibility gate: many trials enroll specifically RAI-refractory patients for systemic therapy (lenvatinib, sorafenib, cabozantinib) or test "redifferentiation" strategies that restore iodine uptake (e.g., selpercatinib or BRAF/MEK inhibitors before re-attempting RAI).
Should I get molecular testing (RET, BRAF, NTRK) before looking for thyroid cancer trials?
Yes — molecular testing increasingly determines which trials and approved drugs you qualify for. RET fusions (papillary) and RET mutations (medullary) make you eligible for selpercatinib or pralsetinib. BRAF V600E (common in papillary and anaplastic) opens dabrafenib + trametinib and BRAF-directed trials. NTRK fusions (rare) qualify for larotrectinib/entrectinib. RAS and TERT promoter mutations carry prognostic weight. Ask your oncologist whether tumor tissue can be sent for next-generation sequencing.
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