title: Lymph node metastasis in thyroid papillary microcarcinoma: a study of 170 patients.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Papillary microcarcinoma of the thyroid has been described as either a normal variant or a serious malignancy. We describe our experience with papillary microcarcinoma and lymph node metastases.
  
  
  METHODS
  A total of 685 consecutive total thyroidectomies with central compartment neck dissection were reviewed for papillary microcarcinoma. Association of central compartment lymph node metastases with age, gender, tumour multifocality, bilaterality and extrathyroidal extension was analysed.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Out of 170 papillary microcarcinoma cases, multifocality was found in 72 (42.4 per cent), bilaterality in 49 (28.8 per cent) and extrathyroidal extension in 16 (9.4 per cent). In all, 23 patients (13.5 per cent) had lymph node metastases. There was a significant association (p < 0.05) between extrathyroidal extension (but no other tumour characteristics) and lymph node metastases.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  In all, 13.5 per cent of papillary microcarcinomas in our series showed lymph node metastases. Lymph node metastases were associated with extrathyroidal invasion of the papillary microcarcinoma.
authors.affiliation: McGill University,Department of Otolaryngology - Head and Neck Surgery,Jewish General Hospital,Montreal,QC,Canada.
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Varshney
authors.affiliation: McGill University,Department of Otolaryngology - Head and Neck Surgery,Jewish General Hospital,Montreal,QC,Canada.
authors.forename: M N
authors.initials: MN
authors.lastname: Pakdaman
authors.affiliation: McGill University,Department of Otolaryngology - Head and Neck Surgery,Jewish General Hospital,Montreal,QC,Canada.
authors.forename: N
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Sands
authors.affiliation: McGill University,Department of Otolaryngology - Head and Neck Surgery,Jewish General Hospital,Montreal,QC,Canada.
authors.forename: M P
authors.initials: MP
authors.lastname: Hier
authors.affiliation: McGill University,Department of Otolaryngology - Head and Neck Surgery,Jewish General Hospital,Montreal,QC,Canada.
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Rochon
authors.affiliation: McGill University,Department of Otolaryngology - Head and Neck Surgery,Jewish General Hospital,Montreal,QC,Canada.
authors.forename: M J
authors.initials: MJ
authors.lastname: Black
authors.affiliation: McGill University,Department of Otolaryngology - Head and Neck Surgery,Jewish General Hospital,Montreal,QC,Canada.
authors.forename: R J
authors.initials: RJ
authors.lastname: Payne
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D002291:Carcinoma, Papillary / Q000473:pathology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008207:Lymphatic Metastasis / Q000473:pathology*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D037981:Neck Dissection; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D013964:Thyroid Neoplasms / Q000473:pathology*; D013965:Thyroidectomy; D055815:Young Adult