Clinicopathological Predictors of Cervical Lymph Node Metastases and Disease Persistence in Pediatric Papillary Thyroid Carcinoma: A Single-Center Cohort Study

The authors aimed to identify clinicopathological factors associated with cervical lymph node metastases and disease persistence in pediatric patients with papillary thyroid carcinoma (PTC). Their study found that tumor size, multifocality, extrathyroidal extension, lymphovascular invasion, and the diffuse sclerosing variant were significantly linked to nodal metastases, while lymphovascular invasion and central lymph node involvement were predictors of reduced disease-free survival. These findings may inform surgical management and postoperative surveillance strategies for this patient population.