目的：探究喉前淋巴结（Delphian lymph node, DLN）转移在单侧甲状腺乳头状癌（papillary thyroid carcinoma, PTC）病人中的发生率及其临床意义。方法：回顾性分析我科2016年1月至2019年12月收治522例单侧PTC病人的临床病理资料。分析DLN转移与病人年龄、性别、肿瘤大小、肿瘤多灶性、包膜侵犯、腺体外侵犯、肿瘤位置、中央区淋巴结转移（除外DLN）和侧颈区淋巴结转移的关系。结果：522例中,133例（25.5%）DLN转移。年龄（P=0.047）、性别（P<0.001）、肿瘤最大径（P<0.001）、包膜侵犯（P<0.001)、腺体外侵犯（P=0.004)、肿瘤位置（P=0.003）、中央区淋巴结转移（P<0.001） 及其数目（除外DLN）（P<0.001）、侧颈区淋巴结转移（P=0.036）及其数目（P=0.004）、DLN切除数目（P=0.043）与DLN转移相关。结论：DLN转移与PTC的一些不良预后因素显著相关。如术中冷冻病理检查结果提示DLN转移阳性,需仔细清扫并评估中央区淋巴结以及侧颈区淋巴结,密切随访。

Objects To study the incidence of Delphian lymph node (DLN) metastasis in patients with unilateral pa-pillary thyroid carcinoma (PTC) and the clinical significance. Methods The clinicopathological data of 522 patients with unilateral PTC in our hospital between January 2016 and December 2019 were analyzed retrospectively. The association between DLN metastasis and the clinicopathological characteristics including age, sex, tumor size, multifocality, capsular invasion, extrathyroidal extension, tumor location, central lymph node (CLN) metastasis (excluding DLN), and lateral lymph node metastasis was analyzed. Results One hundred thirty-three(25.5%) of 522 patients had DLN metastasis. It was significant that DLN metastasis was associated with age (P=0.047), male (P<0.001), larger tumor size (P<0.001), capsular invasion (P<0.001), extrathyroidal extension (P=0.004), tumor location (P=0.003), CLN metastasis (P<0.001), number of positive CLN (excluding DLN) (P<0.001), lateral compartment lymph node (LLN) metastasis (P=0.036), number of positive LLN (P=0.004) and number of DLN removed (P=0.043). Conclusions The DLN metastasis was shown to be associated significantly with several factors of poor PTC prognosis. When the DLN of intraoperative frozen section is positive, careful dissection and evaluation of CLN and LLN are essential with necessary follow-up.