Evaluation of the risk factors of metastasis to central cervical lymph nodes in patients with papillary thyroid carcinoma

Background: Papillary thyroid cancer, comprising 80% of thyroid malignancies in iodine-sufficient areas, can be effectively treated if detected early before metastasis. Cervical lymph nodes are a common site of metastasis, prompting some surgeons to suggest prophylactic dissection in all patients. To minimize potential side effects, this study aims to identify patients benefiting from this procedure by assessing risk factors for central lymph node metastasis. Methods and materials: This descriptive-analytical study was conducted on 150 patients with papillary thyroid cancer. The samples included cases in which central lymph node involvement was ruled out clinically and radiologically. After proving papillary cancer in the pathology sample, the variables of age, sex, frequency of central lymph node involvement, tumor size, location of thyroid involvement, multi-centric involvement, multi-focal involvement, presence of microcalcification, capsular invasion, lymphovascular invasion, and pathology were analyzed. The results were presented with descriptive statistics. Results: The percentage of central lymph node involvement in this study was reported as 9.3%. In the analysis, capsular invasion ( P =0.01), lymphovascular invasion ( P =0.0001) and involvement of the upper thyroid pole ( P =0.001) were identified as risk factors for central lymph node involvement. There was no significant relationship between the variables of age, sex, tumor size, pathology, multi-centricity and multifocality and central lymph node involvement. Conclusion: Involvement of central lymph nodes in patients with capsular invasion, lymphovascular invasion, and involvement of the upper thyroid bridge is far more common than in other patients, and central lymph node dissection is recommended in patients with several of the above risk factors.