Risk factors for posttreatment recurrence in patients with intermediate-risk papillary thyroid carcinoma

Abstract Background Papillary thyroid carcinoma (PTC) is generally associated with favorable outcomes; however, intermediate-risk requires further evaluation. We therefore examined risk factors for posttreatment recurrence in patients with intermediate-risk PTC. Methods This study involved 1,782 patients who underwent thyroidectomy for intermediate-risk PTC. Univariate and multivariate Cox proportional hazard regression analyses were used to identify the significant factors predictive of posttreatment recurrence-free survival (RFS). Results Of intermediate-risk factors, univariate analyses showed that clinical and pathological cervical lymph node (LN) positivity (cN1 and pN1), aggressive histology, and multifocality with microscopic extrathyroidal extension were significantly associated with RFS outcomes (all P  5 pN1, and posttreatment radioactive iodine (RAI)-avid metastatic foci of intermediate risk remained the independent factors predictive of RFS (all P  Conclusion Clinical nodal positivity, the number of positive LNs, and the presence of RAI-avid metastatic foci in the ATA intermediate-risk category might independently decrease RFS in patients with intermediate-risk PTC.