Lateral lymph node recurrence after total thyroidectomy and central neck dissection in patients with papillary thyroid cancer without clinical evidence of lateral neck metastasis.

BACKGROUND

This study analyzed the incidence, pattern, and predictive factors for lateral lymph node (LN) recurrence in patients with papillary thyroid cancer (PTC) without clinical evidence of lateral LN metastasis.

METHODS

A retrospective analysis was performed on 246 patients with PTC who underwent total thyroidectomy and central neck dissection from 2004 to 2010. None of the patients had clinical evidence of lateral LN metastasis at the time of diagnosis. Predictive factors for lateral LN recurrence were evaluated using the chi-square test. Binary logistic regression was used for the multivariate analysis. Recurrence-free survival rates were estimated by the Kaplan-Meier and Cox regression methods.

RESULTS

Of the 246 patients, 11 (4.5%) developed lateral LN recurrence with a median follow-up of 49months. In the multivariate analysis, tumor size >1cm (odds ratio [OR], 8.14; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.01-65.68; p=0.049) and central LN metastasis (OR, 10.59; 95% CI, 1.32-85.17; p=0.026) were independent predictive factors of lateral LN recurrence. Especially, extranodal extension of a metastatic central LN (OR, 38.82; 95% CI, 5.71-264.10; p<0.001) was an independent predictor of lateral LN recurrence.

CONCLUSIONS

Tumor size and central LN metastasis were independent predictors of lateral LN recurrence in patients with PTC without initial clinical lateral neck metastasis who underwent total thyroidectomy and central neck dissection. Close surveillance may be necessary for early detection of lateral LN recurrence in PTC patients with tumor size ⩾1cm, and central LN metastasis with extranodal extension.