ABSTRACT
Objective:To retrospectively analyze the regularity and risk factors of skip metastasis (central lymph node negative and lat-eral lymph node positive) in papillary thyroid carcinoma (PTC). Methods:A total of 521 PTC patients underwent total thyroidectomy and central plus lateral lymph node dissection at The First Affiliated Hospital of Chongqing Medical University from January 2013 to De-cember 2016. Clinicopathological characteristics of the patients were collected and analyzed. Results:Skip metastasis rate of PTC was 8.3％(43/521). Tumors in the upper lobe (OR=3.401, 95％CI:1.770-6.536;P=0.001) and in the lateral part (OR=3.424, 95％CI:1.182-9.920;P=0.023) of the thyroid, as well as age above 45 (OR=2.856, 95％CI:1.488-5.482;P=0.002), were independent risk factors for skip metastases for this disease. Clinically node-negative (cN0) PTC patients with tumors in the upper lobe had higher possibility of skip metastases than those with clinically involved lateral neck nodes(cN1b) (P=0.022). Conclusion:Skip metastasis of PTC is not un-common. Thus, preoperative clinical assessment and imaging examination for lateral lymph node is necessary, especially for PTC pa-tients who are above 45 years old and with tumors in the upper lobe and/or unilateral area of thyroid. The lateral lymph node dissec-tion should be performed when necessary.