Related factor analysis for predicting large-volume central cervical lymph node metastasis in papillary thyroid carcinoma

Abstract

The aim of this study was to investigate the factors related to large-volume central cervical lymph node metastasis (LNM) in papillary thyroid carcinoma. A retrospective study of 340 patients with 642 papillary thyroid carcinoma nodules who underwent thyroidectomy in Peking Union Medical College Hospital between 2011 and 2015 was conducted. These nodules were divided into two groups by the number of central cervical lymph node metastases: large‐volume central cervical LNM (>5 metastatic lymph nodes, n = 129) and no central cervical LNM ( n = 211). We evaluated the correlations between gender, age, chronic lymphocytic thyroiditis, thyroid ultrasonographic features, and large‐volume central cervical LNM. We found that younger age (≤40 years) (OR = 3.796, 95% CI = 2.842, 5.070), male gender (OR = 4.005, 95% CI = 2.858, 5.61), and ultrasonographic features such as tumor macroaxis size (OR = 2.985, 95% CI = 1.581, 5.633), tumor located in the isthmus (OR = 7.578, 95% CI = 4.863, 11.810), ill-defined margin (OR = 3.008, 95% CI = 1.986, 4.556), microcalcification (OR = 2.155, 95% CI = 1.585, 2.929), and abnormal cervical lymph nodes (OR = 13.753, 95% CI = 9.278, 20.385) were independent risk factors for large-volume central cervical LNM in papillary thyroid carcinoma, while chronic lymphocytic thyroiditis (OR = 0.248, 95% CI = 0.172, 0.358) was a protective factor. Younger age (≤40 years), male sex, and ultrasonographic features such as tumor macroaxis size, tumor located in the isthmus, ill-defined margin, microcalcification, and abnormal cervical lymph nodes were independent risk factors for large-volume central cervical LNM in papillary thyroid carcinoma, while chronic lymphocytic thyroiditis can be considered a protective factor. Our results provide a reference for adjusting clinical treatment approaches.