Satoru Noda1, Naoyoshi Onoda2, Tamami Morisaki2, Shinichiro Kashiwagi2, Tsutomu Takashima2, Kosei Hirakawa2. 1. Department of Surgical Oncology, Osaka City University Graduate School of Medicine, 1-4-3 Asahi-machi, Abeno-ku, Osaka, Japan. Electronic address: s-noda@med.osaka-cu.ac.jp. 2. Department of Surgical Oncology, Osaka City University Graduate School of Medicine, 1-4-3 Asahi-machi, Abeno-ku, Osaka, Japan.
Abstract
BACKGROUND: The management of pathological lateral node involvement (pN1b) from papillary thyroid cancer (PTC) are controversial. METHODS: A consecutive series of 246 patients, diagnosed with clinically node negative (cN0) PTC who had undergone surgery with prophylactic lateral node dissection, and without postoperative radioactive iodine administration from 2001 to 11, were reviewed to clarify the significance of pN1b. RESULTS: Eighty-five (35%) patients had pN1b disease. One-half and 30% had pN1b in younger (age less than 45) and older patients (age 45 or over), respectively. Tumor size (≥ 21 mm) could predict pN1b disease in older patients. Patients with pN1b disease recurred more frequently (9 cases, 10.6%) than those without (4 cases, 2.4%), and 2 cases with pN1b died of the disease. CONCLUSIONS: pN1b disease was commonly found in patients with PTC even when they were diagnosed clinically as node negative. pN1b disease with prognostic meaning was often found in the older patients with larger PTC indicating the necessity for adjuvant treatments.
BACKGROUND: The management of pathological lateral node involvement (pN1b) from papillary thyroid cancer (PTC) are controversial. METHODS: A consecutive series of 246 patients, diagnosed with clinically node negative (cN0) PTC who had undergone surgery with prophylactic lateral node dissection, and without postoperative radioactive iodine administration from 2001 to 11, were reviewed to clarify the significance of pN1b. RESULTS: Eighty-five (35%) patients had pN1b disease. One-half and 30% had pN1b in younger (age less than 45) and older patients (age 45 or over), respectively. Tumor size (≥ 21 mm) could predict pN1b disease in older patients. Patients with pN1b disease recurred more frequently (9 cases, 10.6%) than those without (4 cases, 2.4%), and 2 cases with pN1b died of the disease. CONCLUSIONS: pN1b disease was commonly found in patients with PTC even when they were diagnosed clinically as node negative. pN1b disease with prognostic meaning was often found in the older patients with larger PTC indicating the necessity for adjuvant treatments.