Many factors are effective on the prognosis of thyroid cancer, treatment planning and in predicting the prognosis of disease. Pathological features of thyroid cancer and lymph node metastasis play important roles on the presentation and prognosis of the patient. Bilateral or unilateral cervical lymph node metastasis or lymph node invasion of the capsule are poor prognostic features that increase the risk of local recurrence and distant metastases. Tumor histology and lymph node metastasis is important in deciding the type of the neck dissection. There are two types of neck dissection in thyroid cancers: prophylactic neck dissection and curative neck dissection. Radical neck dissection, modified radical neck dissection, selective neck dissection and extended neck dissection techniques are applied.
Keywords: thyroid, cancer, neck dissection