Ipsilateral and contralateral central lymph node metastasis in papillary thyroid cancer: patterns and predictive factors of nodal metastasis.
BACKGROUND
The aims of this study were to evaluate the rate and risk factors of ipsilateral and contralateral central lymph node (CLN) metastases in patients with papillary thyroid cancer (PTC).


METHODS
A total of 161 patients who underwent total thyroidectomy with prophylactic CLN dissection (CLND) to treat PTC were enrolled.


RESULTS
Of 134 total cases excluding tumors located in the isthmus and bilateral lobes, 72 cases (53.7%) involved CLN metastases. Tumor size, age, and sex were found to be predictive of ipsilateral CLN metastasis and the rate of ipsilateral CLN metastasis in tumors > 1 cm was 59.6%. Contralateral CLN metastases were more prevalent only in tumors that already had ipsilateral CLN metastases (27.3%, p = .002).


CONCLUSIONS
It is suggested that risk factors of ipsilateral and contralateral CLN metastases should be considered while planning the extent of CLND in patients with clinically node-negative and unilateral PTC upon preoperative ultrasonography.
Department of Surgery, Seoul National University, College of Medicine, Seoul, Republic of Korea.
Kyu Eun
KE
Lee
Il Yong
IY
Chung
Eunyoung
E
Kang
Do Hoon
do H
Koo
Kyu Hyung
KH
Kim
Sung-Won
SW
Kim
Yeo-Kyu
YK
Youn
Seung Keun
SK
Oh
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D002277:Carcinoma / Q000473:pathology*; D002291:Carcinoma, Papillary; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008197:Lymph Node Excision; D008207:Lymphatic Metastasis; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D015999:Multivariate Analysis; D009362:Neoplasm Metastasis; D012307:Risk Factors; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D000077273:Thyroid Cancer, Papillary; D013964:Thyroid Neoplasms / Q000473:pathology*; D013965:Thyroidectomy; D055815:Young Adult