Analyze and compare the predictors of ipsilateral central lymph node metastasis in papillary thyroid carcinoma with...

Central lymph node metastasis (CLNM) is common in papillary thyroid carcinoma (PTC). The aim of this study was to compare the cT1a and cT1b stages of PTC and to analyze the predictive factors of ipsilateral central lymph node metastasis (CLNM).

In total, 212 PTC (cT1N0) patients underwent hemi-thyroidectomy with ipsilateral central lymph node dissection (CLND) between 2019 and 2020 in our hospital. Univariate and multivariate analyses identified the predictive factors for CLNM of PTC (cT1aN0 and cT1bN0), and compared the differences between the two stages.

The total rate of ipsilateral CLNM was 31.13% (66/212), and the ipsilateral CLNM rate in cT1b stage was higher than that in cT1a stage (48.84% vs. 26.63%), with significant differences (p = 0.005). cT1b stage was more prone to capsule invasion than cT1a stage (41.86% vs. 2.37%), with significant differences (p‹0.001). The multivariate analysis showed that tumor size (n > 5 mm) was an independent predictive factor for CLNM in cT1a stage (p = 0.002), with an odds ratio (OR) of 0.228 (95% confidence interval (95% CI): 0.079-0.655). Capsular invasion (p = 0.048) and tumors located in the middle and lower parts (p = 0.022) were independent predictive factors for CLNM in cT1b stage, with ORs of 0.157 (95% CI: 0.034-0.724) and 0.075 (95% CI: 0.007-0.847), respectively.

The rate of CLNM increases with increase of tumor size. Patients in cT1b stage are more prone to capsule invasion and CLNM. For the cT1b stage of PTC, predictive factors should be correctly evaluated to guide surgical treatment for PTC patients.