Skip metastases in papillary thyroid carcinoma: evidence from a multicenter European retrospective study.

ABSTRACT:

Introduction

Papillary thyroid carcinoma (PTC) frequently involves cervical lymph nodes. Lateral nodal involvement without central compartment disease (Skip Metastasis, SM) poses diagnostic and staging challenges. We aimed to characterize clinicopathological features of SM in a large multicenter European cohort comparing SM+ (lateral only) and SM- (central + lateral) disease.

Materials and methods

We conducted a retrospective study across four high-volume European centers (01/2020-12/2022). Adults with histologically proven PTC, confirmed lateral cervical metastases, and both central (level VI) and lateral (levels II-IV) dissections were included. Additional subanalyses among pT1a and cases with >2 central nodes retrieved were employed to control for confounders.

Results<

SUBMITTER: Di Filippo G 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC12900679 | biostudies-literature | 2026

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature