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Lee, Bae, Jeong, Jung, Lim, Park, Kim, and Kim: Risk Factors of Lymph Node Metastasis in Papillary Thyroid Microcarcinoma
Original Article
Journal of the Korean Surgical Society

Journal of the Korean Surgical Society 2010; 78(2): 82-86.

Published online: 19 February 2010

DOI: https://doi.org/10.4174/jkss.2010.78.2.82

Risk Factors of Lymph Node Metastasis in Papillary Thyroid Microcarcinoma

Nam Seop Lee, M.D., Ja Seong Bae, M.D., So-Ryeong Jeong, M.D.1, Chan Kwon Jung, M.D.2, Dong Jun Lim, M.D.3, Woo Chan Park, M.D., Jeong Soo Kim, M.D., Seung Nam Kim, M.D.

Department of Surgery, The Catholic University College of Medicine, Seoul, Korea.

1Department of Radiology, The Catholic University College of Medicine, Seoul, Korea.

2Department of Pathology, The Catholic University College of Medicine, Seoul, Korea.

3Department of Internal Medicine, The Catholic University College of Medicine, Seoul, Korea.

Corresponding author (drbae@catholic.ac.kr)

Received 6 October 2009       Accepted 23 November 2009

Copyright © 2010 The Korean Surgical Society

Abstract

Purpose

Despite the overall excellent prognosis for patients with papillary thyroid microcarcinoma (PTMC), these tumors are also associated with a 5% relatively high lymph node (LN) recurrence rate and the optimal surgical extent of papillary thyroid microcarcinoma has been controversial. Cervical LN metastases (LNMs) are found in about 40~65% of patients with PTMC. The aim of this study is to identify the factors affecting lymph node metastases (LNMs) in patients with PTMC.

Methods

We performed a retrospective study of 335 patients with PTMC who underwent total thyroidectomy or lobectomy with elective central lymph node dissection (CLND) at Kangnam St. Mary's Hospital between Jan. 2006 and Dec. 2008. We investigated the association of LNMs and clinicopathologic factors such as sex, age, multiplicity, extrathyroidal extension, and tumor size.

Results

LNMs were present in 88 patients (26.3%). Univariate analysis showed that less than 45 years of age, male, multiplicity, a tumor size of greater than 5 mm, thyroid capsular invasion and extrathyroidal extension were predictive factors for LNMs (P<0.05). Of these, the age, male, tumor size and extrathyroidal extension were independent predictive factors for LNMs on multivariate analysis.

Conclusion

A tumor size (>5 mm), male, age (<45) and extrathyroidal extension were determined as the predictive factors for LNMs, which occurred in about one fourth of the patients with PTMC. Therefore, elective CLND should be considered in patients with PTMC who have these factors through a thorough investigation before surgery.

Keywords: Papillary thyroid microcarcinoma, Central lymph node metastasis

Figures and Tables

Table 1
Demographics of patients with papillary microcarcinoma
jkss-78-82-i001
Table 2
Univariate and multivariate analysis of association between clinicopathologic features and central lymph node metastasis in patients with papillary microcarcinoma
jkss-78-82-i002

*RR = relative risk; †95%CI = 95% confidence interval.

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