title: Differentiated and Medullary Thyroid Cancer: Surgical Management of Cervical Lymph Nodes.
abstract: Thyroid cancer metastasises to the central and lateral compartments of the neck frequently and early. The impact of nodal metastases on outcome is affected by the histological subtype of the primary tumour and the patient's age, as well as the size, number and location of those metastases. The impact of extranodal extension has recently been highlighted as an important prognosticating factor. Although clinically evident nodal disease in the lateral neck compartments has a significant impact on both survival and recurrence, microscopic metastases to the central or the lateral neck in well-differentiated thyroid cancer do not significantly affect outcome. Here we discuss the surgical management of neck metastases in well-differentiated and medullary thyroid carcinoma.
authors.affiliation: Edinburgh Academic Department of Otolaryngology, Head and Neck Surgery, Edinburgh Cancer Centre, Edinburgh, UK. Electronic address: panagiotis.asimakopoulos@nhs.net.
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Asimakopoulos
authors.affiliation: Edinburgh Academic Department of Otolaryngology, Head and Neck Surgery, Edinburgh Cancer Centre, Edinburgh, UK.
authors.forename: I J
authors.initials: IJ
authors.lastname: Nixon
authors.affiliation: Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, New York, NY, USA.
authors.forename: A R
authors.initials: AR
authors.lastname: Shaha
mesh_terms: D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008198:Lymph Nodes / Q000473:pathology* / Q000601:surgery; D008207:Lymphatic Metastasis; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D037981:Neck Dissection / Q000379:methods*; D009364:Neoplasm Recurrence, Local / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery*; D013964:Thyroid Neoplasms / Q000473:pathology* / Q000601:surgery; D013965:Thyroidectomy / Q000379:methods*
keywords: Lymphatic metastasis; surgery; thyroid gland; thyroid neoplasms