title: [Central compartment lymph node metastasis in cN0 papillary thyroid carcinoma].
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To evaluate the incidence and the predictive factors for the metastasis of central compartment lymph nodes (level VI) in clinically node-negative (cN0) papillary thyroid carcinoma (PTC).
  
  
  METHODS
  One hundred and eight patients with cN0 PTC underwent neck dissection for level VI between January 2003 and December 2006 were followed up and analyzed retrospectively. Univariate analysis with the χ² test was used to analyze the statistical correlation between central compartment lymph nodes metastasis and the other clinical factors. Multiple Logistic regression analysis was used to identify the multivariate correlates of central compartment metastasis. Kaplan-Meier method was used to calculate the accumulative survival rate, lateral neck recurrence and metastasis rate.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Metastasis rate in level VI was 59.2% (64/108). Age below 45, tumor size > 3 cm and extracapsular spread were independent predictive factors for the metastasis in level VI (odds ratio were 5.514, 5.610 and 3.122, P < 0.05, respectively). There were low incidence of postoperative complications, 2 cases with transient nerve palsy (1.8%), 5 cases with transient hypoparathyroidism (4.6%) and 1 case with permanent hypoparathyroidism (0.9%). Six cases with ipsilateral neck recurrence, 1 case died. The 5-year lateral neck recurrence rate and accumulative survival rate were 4.8% and 99.1% respectively.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Metastasis in level VI in the patients with cN0 PTC is common and selective neck dissection is necessary for the patients.
authors.affiliation: Department of Head and Neck Surgery, Cancer Hospital, Peking Union Medical College, Chinese Academy of Medical Science, Beijing 100021, China.
authors.forename: Dan-gui
authors.initials: DG
authors.lastname: Yan
authors.forename: Bin
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.forename: Jun-yi
authors.initials: JY
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.forename: Zhen-gang
authors.initials: ZG
authors.lastname: Xu
authors.forename: Ping-zhang
authors.initials: PZ
authors.lastname: Tang
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D002277:Carcinoma; D002291:Carcinoma, Papillary; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D053208:Kaplan-Meier Estimate; D016015:Logistic Models; D008207:Lymphatic Metastasis; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D015999:Multivariate Analysis; D037981:Neck Dissection; D009367:Neoplasm Staging; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D000077273:Thyroid Cancer, Papillary; D013964:Thyroid Neoplasms / Q000473:pathology*; D055815:Young Adult