From Jan. 1980 to Dec. 1996, 138 cases of papillary adenocarcinoma of thyroid gland were surgically treated. To minimize the local recurrence and complication, resection of the involved lobe and the isthmus is an ideal surgical operation. Modified neck lymph node dissection should be performed, if the diameter of primary tumor is larger than 1.5 cm; whether the lymph node is palpable or not. Functional or classical radical neck lymph node excision should be taken, if the neck lymph node can be palpable.