Risk factors of cervical central lymph node metastasis in stage T1a unifocal papillary thyroid carcinoma

To investigate the correlation of cervical central lymph node metastasis (CLNM) in stage T1a unifocal papillary thyroid carcinoma (PTC) with the clinicopathological characteristics, ultrasonography features and the number of lymph node dissection, and to analyze the risk factors of CLNM. Data from 493 unifocal PTC patients (T1a) who underwent partial or total thyroidectomy and pCLND at the Guizhou Provincial People's Hospital were collected and retrospectively analyzed. They were divided into two groups in accordance with cervical CLNM or not. Their information, including clinical characteristics, ultrasound (US) features, pathological results, and other characteristics of the groups, was analyzed and compared using univariate and multivariate logistic regression analyses. A total of 493 patients were eligible in this study. Among them, 33.7% (166/493) of PTC patients had cervical CLNM, and 66.3% (327/493) did not. The two groups were compared using a univariate analyses, and there were no significant differences between the two groups in age, maximum tumor size, tumor location, aspect ratio, boundary, morphology, echogenicity, BRAF^V600E and HT (P > 0.05), and there were significant differences between gender, capsule contact, microcalcifications, rich vascularity, and number of lymph node dissection (P < 0.05). A multivariate logistic regression analyses was performed to further clarify the correlation of these indices. However, only male (OR = 1.770, P = 0.009), microcalcifications (OR = 1.791, P = 0.004), capsule contact (OR = 1.857, P = 0.01), and number of lymph node dissection (OR = 2.274, P < 0.001) were independent predictors of cervical CLNM. In conclusion, four independent predictors of cervical CLNM, including male, microcalcifications, capsule contact, and number of lymph node dissection, were screened out. Therefore, a comprehensive assessment of these risk factors should be conducted when designing individualized treatment regimens for PTC patients.