Role of prophylactic central neck dissection in cN0-papillary thyroid carcinoma: Results from a high-prevalence area

BACKGROUND: Prophylactic, compartment-oriented central neck dissection (CND) for cN0 papillary thyroid carcinoma (PTC) is not widely practiced. We examined our results with this surgical approach. METHODS: A cohort of 158 patients operated on for the classical variant of PTC at a follow-up of 1-22 years (mean: 6.6) were enrolled. The patients with a preoperative diagnosis of cN0 PTC (group A, 59 patients) underwent total thyroidectomy (TT) + CND. In the patients with incidental postoperative diagnosis of malignancy (group B, 99 patients) a TT alone was performed. RESULTS: Ninety-six T1, 36 T2, 26 T3/T4 PTC patients were enrolled. The overall biochemical/scintigraphic recurrence rate (15 patients, 9.49%), was significantly higher in group B. Disease-free survival and need for postoperative radioiodine ablative treatment were more favorable in group A (P