title: Safety and efficacy of modified radical lymph nodes dissection in patients with papillary thyroid cancer and clinically evident lymph nodes metastasis.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Papillary cancer of the thyroid gland is well known as a lymphotropic type of cancer. In more than 50 percent of all cases it metastasizes first and mainly in regional lymph nodes. The extent of surgical intervention remains a subject of controversy and discussions.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  The aim of our retrospective study was to evaluate efficacy and safety of modified radical lymph node dissection (MRND) in patients with papillary thyroid cancer (PTC).
  
  
  METHODS
  We performed a retrospective analysis of survival and quality of life of 19 patients who underwent surgery at the Department of General Surgery. All patients had papillary thyroid cancer and regional lymph nodes metastases. The results were compared to literature data on surgical interventions differing in extent and specifics.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Our analysis and its parallel with literature data revealed better survival rates and quality of life in patients who had undergone total thyroidectomy (TT) with modified radical lymph nodes dissection in comparison with those ones who had undergone total thyroidectomy with berry picking (BP).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Modified radical lymph nodes dissection is an effective and comparatively safe procedure for the treatment of patients with papillary thyroid cancer and regional lymph nodes metastases. If adequately performed it ensures better quality of life, longer survival and improves further control on distant metastases.
authors.affiliation: Department of General Surgery, University Hospital StGeorge, Medical University, Plovdiv, Bulgaria. rossen_dimov@hotmail.com
authors.forename: Rossen S
authors.initials: RS
authors.lastname: Dimov
authors.forename: Georgi P
authors.initials: GP
authors.lastname: Deenichin
authors.forename: Radoslav A
authors.initials: RA
authors.lastname: Damianliev
authors.forename: Angel P
authors.initials: AP
authors.lastname: Ouchikov
authors.forename: Momchil H
authors.initials: MH
authors.lastname: Bacelov
authors.forename: Hristo T
authors.initials: HT
authors.lastname: Protohristov
authors.forename: Iliya R
authors.initials: IR
authors.lastname: Apostolov
authors.forename: Chavdar S
authors.initials: CS
authors.lastname: Stefanov
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D002031:Bulgaria / Q000453:epidemiology; D002291:Carcinoma, Papillary / Q000401:mortality / Q000556:secondary / Q000601:surgery*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008197:Lymph Node Excision; D008198:Lymph Nodes / Q000601:surgery*; D008207:Lymphatic Metastasis; D008297:Male; D037981:Neck Dissection / Q000379:methods; D009364:Neoplasm Recurrence, Local; D009367:Neoplasm Staging; D011788:Quality of Life; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D015996:Survival Rate; D013964:Thyroid Neoplasms / Q000401:mortality / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery*