What does this research mean for the field?

In patients with medullary thyroid carcinoma, the most frequent sites of recurrence are the ipsilateral central and lateral neck, and contralateral prophylactic central neck dissection is not significantly associated with reduced recurrence in clinically node-negative disease, though wide confidence intervals preclude definitive conclusions. Novelty: ClaimNovelty.INCREMENTAL. Consensus alignment: ConsensusAlignment.NEUTRAL.

What question did this study set out to answer?

To evaluate compartment-specific recurrence patterns in medullary thyroid carcinoma and determine whether contralateral prophylactic central neck dissection benefits patients with clinically node-negative disease.

September 5, 2026JAMA Otolaryngology–Head & Neck Surgery

Compartment-Specific Recurrence in Medullary Thyroid Cancer

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Authors

YSYoung‐Ji Seo KLKelsey N. Larios YMYifan Mao

Discussion

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Overview

Multicenter cohort study reveals low contralateral neck recurrence in medullary thyroid cancer, highlighting uncertain benefits of routine contralateral prophylactic central neck dissection.

Key Points

To evaluate compartment-specific recurrence patterns in medullary thyroid carcinoma and determine whether contralateral prophylactic central neck dissection benefits patients with clinically node-negative disease.
Multicenter retrospective cohort study of 235 adults undergoing thyroidectomy for medullary thyroid carcinoma across 4 academic referral centers between 1998 and 2021.
Patients with preoperative clinically node-negative (cN0) disease (N=105) were stratified by whether they underwent contralateral prophylactic central neck dissection (pCND).
Assessed recurrence patterns using risk differences (RDs) and multivariable Cox proportional hazards regression adjusting for sex, tumor size, and nodal status.
Disease recurrence occurred in 31% (73/235) overall, primarily in the ipsilateral central (15%) and ipsilateral lateral neck (15%), whereas contralateral central recurrence occurred in only 5%.
Among cN0 patients, rates of overall recurrence (22% with pCND vs 15% without; RD, 0.07; 95% CI, −0.07 to 0.22) and contralateral central recurrence (5% vs 2%; RD, 0.03; 95% CI, −0.04 to 0.10) showed small, imprecise differences.
Multivariable analysis showed contralateral pCND was not associated with reduced overall recurrence (HR, 0.59; 95% CI, 0.21–1.62) or contralateral neck recurrence (HR, 0.23; 95% CI, 0.02–3.08).

Cite This Study

Seo et al. (2026) studied this question.

synapsesocial.com/papers/6a9bd49d6b95aff0620ec5e7 https://doi.org/10.1001/jamaoto.2026.2597

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September 5, 2026JAMA Otolaryngology–Head & Neck Surgery

Compartment-Specific Recurrence in Medullary Thyroid Cancer

View Full Paper

Ask AI

Bookmark

Authors

YSYoung‐Ji Seo KLKelsey N. Larios YMYifan Mao

Discussion

Member takes

Overview

Multicenter cohort study reveals low contralateral neck recurrence in medullary thyroid cancer, highlighting uncertain benefits of routine contralateral prophylactic central neck dissection.

Key Points

To evaluate compartment-specific recurrence patterns in medullary thyroid carcinoma and determine whether contralateral prophylactic central neck dissection benefits patients with clinically node-negative disease.
Multicenter retrospective cohort study of 235 adults undergoing thyroidectomy for medullary thyroid carcinoma across 4 academic referral centers between 1998 and 2021.
Patients with preoperative clinically node-negative (cN0) disease (N=105) were stratified by whether they underwent contralateral prophylactic central neck dissection (pCND).
Assessed recurrence patterns using risk differences (RDs) and multivariable Cox proportional hazards regression adjusting for sex, tumor size, and nodal status.
Disease recurrence occurred in 31% (73/235) overall, primarily in the ipsilateral central (15%) and ipsilateral lateral neck (15%), whereas contralateral central recurrence occurred in only 5%.
Among cN0 patients, rates of overall recurrence (22% with pCND vs 15% without; RD, 0.07; 95% CI, −0.07 to 0.22) and contralateral central recurrence (5% vs 2%; RD, 0.03; 95% CI, −0.04 to 0.10) showed small, imprecise differences.
Multivariable analysis showed contralateral pCND was not associated with reduced overall recurrence (HR, 0.59; 95% CI, 0.21–1.62) or contralateral neck recurrence (HR, 0.23; 95% CI, 0.02–3.08).

Cite This Study

Seo et al. (2026) studied this question.

synapsesocial.com/papers/6a9bd49d6b95aff0620ec5e7 https://doi.org/10.1001/jamaoto.2026.2597

View Full Paper

Ask AI

Bookmark