Selective prophylactic lateral node dissection improves the ipsilateral lateral node recurrence-free survival: A retrospective single-center cohort study

Abstract

BackgroundSome studies have shown that prophylactic lateral neck dissection (pLND) may be beneficial for patients with papillary thyroid carcinoma (PTC); however, none of the Western guidelines currently recommends this procedure. Since 2007, the decision to perform pLND at our institution has been made on a case-by-case basis with different risk factors in mind. In this study, we investigated the significance and indications of pLND in patients with PTC. MethodsWe identified patients at stage N0 or N1a and M0 with PTC who underwent surgery from 2007 to 2017. We compared lateral compartment recurrence-free survival (RFS) and distant RFS between patients who did and did not undergo pLND (pLND and non-pLND groups). ResultspLND was performed in 494/3177 (15.5%) patients with PTC (tumor size [T] ≥2 cm, cN0 or N1a, M0). Overall, no significant difference in lateral compartment RFS was detected between the pLND and non-pLND groups. On multivariate analysis, T ≥ 3 cm and positive extrathyroidal extension were independent predictors for recurrence to the lateral compartment. In the subset analysis of T ≥ 3 cm with positive extrathyroidal extension (n = 127), the lateral compartment RFS rate of the pLND group was significantly better (p < 0.01) than that of the non-pLND group (p < 0.01). In this subset, pLND reduced recurrence to the lateral compartment by 20.7% during the 5-year follow-up. However, pLND did not improve distant RFS. ConclusionspLND significantly improved lateral node RFS in patients having PTC ≥3 cm with significant extrathyroidal extension. For such patients, pLND at initial surgery may be considered to avoid second surgery.