[Central lymph node metastasis in cNO papillary thyroid carcinoma].

Area of Science:

• Oncology
• Surgical Pathology
• Head and Neck Surgery

Background:

• Papillary thyroid carcinoma (PTC) is the most common thyroid malignancy.
• Accurate staging of lymph node metastasis is crucial for treatment planning in PTC.
• Clinical NO (cN0) status requires careful evaluation for subclinical nodal involvement.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the patterns of central lymph node metastasis in cN0 papillary thyroid carcinoma.
• To identify independent risk factors associated with central lymph node metastasis in cN0 PTC.
• To inform surgical management strategies for cN0 PTC based on metastasis patterns.

Main Methods:

• Retrospective analysis of 123 cN0 PTC patients who underwent surgery.
• Evaluation of central lymph node dissection (CLND) outcomes.
• Correlation analysis to identify risk factors for central lymph node metastasis.

Main Results:

• Central lymph node metastasis was detected in 63.4% of cN0 PTC patients.
• Bilateral central lymph node metastasis occurred in 27.6% of cases.
• Independent risk factors for metastasis included age < 45 years, extrathyroidal extension, surrounding tissue invasion, and tumor size grade.

Conclusions:

• Age under 45, extrathyroidal extension, and surrounding tissue invasion are significant independent risk factors for central lymph node metastasis in cN0 PTC.
• Primary tumor excision combined with CLND is recommended for cN0 PTC.
• Intraoperative findings guide further surgical management decisions.