Well-differentiated cancers, both papillary and follicular, account for 90% of all diagnosed thyroid cancers. They have an indolent disease course with a 20-year disease-specific survival over 90%. According to current guidelines, the therapy of choice for well-differentiated thyroid carcinoma is total thyroidectomy or lobectomy. The indication for prophylactic central neck dissection is still a controversial issue and the subject of unfinished and ongoing debate. There is no indication for prophylactic central neck dissection in follicular thyroid carcinomas, which primarily metastasize hematogenously. In small solitary papillary thyroid carcinomas (T1 and T2), prophylactic central neck dissection is not indicated as it does not bring benefits in terms of improved patient survival and at the same time significantly increases the risk of temporary and permanent postoperative complications. Prophylactic central neck dissection is indicated in advanced papillary thyroid cancers (T3 and T4) and all other high-risk well-differentiated thyroid cancer, as well as in the presence of metastatic lymph nodes in the lateral neck.
Keywords: differentiated thyroid cancer; follicular thyroid cancer; papillary thyroid cancer; prophylactic central neck dissection; surveillance.