ObjectiveTo investigate the influencing factors of cervical lymph node metastasis of papillary thyroid carcinoma (PTC) and provide more accurate guidance for the cleaning strategy of PTC cervical lymph node.MethodsRetrospectively analyzed the case data of pathological diagnosis of PTC patients from June 2013 to June 2019 in Xiaogan Hospital Affiliated to Wuhan University of Science and Technology, and explored the influencing factors of lymph node metastasis in central region and lymph node metastasis in lateral cervical region.ResultsThe results of multivariate analysis showed that patients aged ≤55 years old, tumor diameter >1 cm, peripheral invasion, bilateral cancer, and multifocal cancer had a higher lymph node metastasis rate in the central region (P<0.05). When the number of risk factors mentioned above was 0, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 and 6, the lymph node metastasis rate in the central region was respectively: 3.5% (4/113), 25.2% (72/286), 30.0% (70/233), 38.6% (76/197), 52.5% (53/101), 76.9% (20/26), and 100% (13/13). With the increase of the number of risk factors, the lymph node metastasis rate in central region increased (χ2=236.894, P<0.001). In the lymph node metastasis in lateral cervical region, multivariate analysis showed that patients with tumor diameter >1 cm, membranous invasion, and lymph node metastasis in the central region ≥2 had a higher lymph node metastasis rate (P<0.05), while lymph node metastasis in the lateral cervical region was not related to age, gender, peripheral invasion, and multifocal carcinoma (P>0.05). When the cumulative number of risk factors in patients was 0, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, and 6, the lymph node metastasis rate in the lateral cervical region was respectively: 11.1% (1/9), 29.4% (5/17), 79.2% (19/24), 89.6% (43/48), 96.4% (27/28), 100% (21/21), and 100% (3/3). With the increase in the number of risk factors, lymph node metastasis in the lateral cervical region increased (χ2=101.094, P<0.001).ConclusionsThe cervical lymph node metastasis is positively correlated with the number of corresponding risk factors. With the increase of risk factors, cervical lymph node metastasis rate also increases. The number of risk factors provides a simple and intuitive indicator for cervical lymph node metastasis, which is more conducive to the formulation of individualized and accurate surgical program.