title: Factors related with metastasis of right retroesophageal lymph nodes in papillary thyroid cancer.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Right retroesophageal lymph nodes (RRLNs) should be involved in central lymph nodes (CLNs) dissection in patients with papillary thyroid cancer (PTC). This study assessed the incidence and factors related to RRLNs metastasis.
  
  
  METHODS
  From January 2008 to March 2010, 129 patients who underwent total thyroidectomy with CLNs dissection including RRLNs were enrolled. The predictive value of RRLNs metastasis was assessed.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Twenty six (20.1%) of 129 patients exhibited nodal metastasis in RRLNs. Metastasis of RRLNs was associated with large tumor size (>1 cm; P<0.01), multiplicity (P=0.03), preoperative LN enlargement (P<0.01), metastasis of non-retroesophageal lateral LN (P<0.01) and large number of CLNs metastases (P<0.01) in univariate analysis. Multivariate analysis revealed that tumor size (>1 cm) and metastasis of non-retroesophageal lateral LN were independent correlates of RRLNs metastases.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  RRLNs may be removed during operation for PTC, particularly in patients with tumor >1 cm and lateral LN metastases.
authors: Department of Surgery Catholic University of Korea Seoul, Republic of Korea - bjsong@catholic.ac.kr.
authors: S H
authors: SH
authors: Kim
authors: K H
authors: KH
authors: Kim
authors: H S
authors: HS
authors: Park
authors: H
authors: H
authors: Yoo
authors: B J
authors: BJ
authors: Chae
authors: J S
authors: JS
authors: Bae
authors: S S
authors: SS
authors: Jung
authors: B J
authors: BJ
authors: Song
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D002277:Carcinoma / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000556:secondary* / Q000601:surgery*; D002291:Carcinoma, Papillary; D002648:Child; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D015994:Incidence; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D037981:Neck Dissection; D009361:Neoplasm Invasiveness; D056910:Republic of Korea / Q000453:epidemiology; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012307:Risk Factors; D000077273:Thyroid Cancer, Papillary; D013964:Thyroid Neoplasms / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000473:pathology* / Q000556:secondary / Q000601:surgery*; D013965:Thyroidectomy; D016896:Treatment Outcome