Lymph nodes metastases in differentiated thyroid cancer--prognostic value and surgical results with 430 patients for 30 years period (1980-2010).

The papillary cancer and the follicular cancer are the most common forms of thyroid malignitet. Based on 30-year follow up of 430 patients, who underwent differentiated thyroid cancer surgery, the incidence of the lymph nodes metastases and the rate of postoperative recurrence of the disease was studied and the performance criteria of modified radical lymph node dissection of the neck were specified. Papillary cancer patients were 77.2% (332 people) and follicular cancer patients were 22.8% (98%). At the time of the diagnosis 8.2% (35 people) of the patients had palpable lymph nodes metastases. All patients with lymph nodes metastases, which developed after the surgery, underwent successful treatment with a modified lymph node dissection of the neck. In none of the cases the lymph node metastases led to a fatal outcome.