Characteristics of central compartment lymph node metastasis in patients with unilateral cN0 papillary thyroid carcinoma and prophylactic dissection

Abstract

Objective To study the central compartment lymph node (CLN) metastasis in patients with unilateral pa-pillary thyroid carcinoma(PTC) diagnosed preoperatively and prophylactic dissection. Methods The data of 342 patients with unilateral PTC at cN0 stage who underwent unilateral thyroidectomy, isthmusectomy and prophylactic CLN dissection were analyzed retrospectively in our department from January 2016 to December 2018. The characteristics of CLN metastasis were analyzed. Results Among 342 patients, 188(55.0%) patients had CLN metastasis. CLN metastasis was significantly related with age (P<0.001), sex (P<0.001), maximum diameter of tumor (P=0.001), capsular invasion (P=0.046), and more CLN (P<0.001). Metastatic CLN density is the metastatic CLN%, which was significantly related with sex (P=0.023) and capsular invasion (P=0.004). There was only one case with cervical hematoma and reoperation among all cases in this study. Two cases had temporary recurrent laryngeal nerve paralysis. Conclusions CLN metastasis in unilateral cN0 PTC patients was characterized with relation to sex, age, and lymph node density. Therefore prophylactic CLN dissection is necessary and safe for unilateral cN0 PTC patients.

Keywords

• |papillary thyroid carcinoma|central compartment lymph node metastasis|metastatic lymph node density|braf v600e