Prognostic factors for recurrence of papillary thyroid carcinoma in the lymph nodes, lung, and bone: analysis of 5,768 patients with average 10-year follow-up.

Abstract

Papillary thyroid carcinoma (PTC) frequently recurs to the lymph nodes, which may not be fatal immediately but is a stressor for physicians and patients. Recurrence to the distant organs, although less frequent, is often life-threatening, and the lung and bone are organs to which PTC is likely to recur. In the present study we investigated factors predicting recurrence of PTC to the lymph nodes, lung, and bone in a large number of patients undergoing long-term follow-up.