Nowadays, thyroid cancer is one of the most common endocrine malignancies. Radioactive iodine I131 is the baseline drug in the therapy of patients with differentiated thyroid cancer (DTC); however, 5% to 15% of DTC and 50% of metastatic DTC are not amenable to radioactive iodine I131 therapy. Some patients suffer from recurrent disease after complex treatment. Recurrent disease is often resistant to radioiodine and shows poor response to radioactive iodine therapy. The aim of the research was to analyze publications on issues related to radioiodine-resistant thyroid cancer and its clinicopathological and molecular-genetic characteristics. The literature search was performed in the electronic databases such as Web of Science Core Collection, Scopus, Google Scholar over the past 5 years: from 2018 to 2023. Inclusion criteria were systematic reviews, original articles. Exclusion criteria were articles of poor methodological quality, duplication, missing or incomplete data in articles, case reports, letters, editorials, and expert opinions. 135 articles were found, 88 of which were selected for analysis. Based on the data studied, special focus is made on the presence of driver mutations, such as telomerase reverse transcriptase promoter mutations TERT, BRAF V600E, NRAS that show aggressive genetic pattern; these can also be used for patient risk stratification when determining radioiodine resistance in patients. In addition, histological examination of the tumor is also one of the most important predictors of DTC prognosis.

Bayan Atantayeva started her early career as endocrinologist. She defended her PhD thesis on benign and malignant nodular tumors of the thyroid gland. In 2012, she completed her first professional training in nuclear medicine in the city of Obninsk, Russia. Since 2013 she has been working in the Center of Nuclear Medicine and Oncology, Abai Region, Kazakhstan. Bayan was the head of Nuclear Medicine Department in the city of Semey, when radioiodotherapy was first introduced for treatment of thyroid diseases in the Republic of Kazakhstan in June of 2021. In June 2024, she was promoted to the position of deputy director of Center of Nuclear Medicine and Oncology. Bayan is a candidate of medical sciences and a mentor for residents at the Department of Nuclear Medicine. She is the author of more than 50 publications. She presented her last two papers at World Cancer Congress (17-19 September 2024, Geneva, Switzerland) and International Conference on Hybrid Imaging (7-11 October 2024, Vienna, Austria).