OBJECTIVE: To analyze the factors of lymph node metastasis in papillary thyroid microcarcinoma and to evaluate the significance of the selective neck dissection.METHOD: Records of 82 patients with papillary thyroid microcarcinoma were retrospectively analyzed. Sixty patients were received a selective neck dissection (Group 1), while twenty-two were not (Group 2).RESULT: In Group 1, 13 patients were found metastasis. The incidence of metastasis was 21. 67% (13/60). The frequency of nodal metastasis with a carcinoma < 0.7 cm was 4.76%, while > or = 0.7 cm was 30.77% (P < 0.05). All patients were followed-up from 9 to 14 years (mean 59.8 months). No patients relapsed or died, and no one was found distant metastasis.CONCLUSION: The papillary thyroid microcarcinoma had a high tendency to metastasize. It is more significant to perform selective neck dissection in tumors > or = 0.7 cm.
Adenocarcinoma, Papillary Adult