Management of Recurrent/Persistent Nodal Disease in Patients with Differentiated Thyroid Cancer: A Critical Review of the Risks and Benefits of Surgical Intervention Versus Active Surveillance

Identification of recurrent/persistent disease requires a team decision-making process that includes the patient and physicians as to what, if any, intervention should be performed to best control the disease while minimizing morbidity. Several management principles and variables involved in the decision making for surgery versus active surveillance were developed that should be taken into account when deciding how best to manage a patient with DTC and suspected recurrent or persistent cervical nodal disease.