Thyroid cancer (TC) is a common malignant tumor in the head and neck[1]. In 2020, the incidence rate of TC reported by the World Health Organization (WHO) was the ninth highest in the world. Women account for approximately 75% of all TC patients[2]. It can occur in different age groups, and in recent years, TC has been the most common malignant tumor in adolescents and adults aged 16-33 years[3], [4]. Although most well-differentiated TCs exhibit inert behavior, there are still some TCs with highly aggressive biological behavior that can early invade the recurrent laryngeal nerve, trachea, and esophagus, leading to ipsilateral cervical lymph node metastasis or recurrence[5]. Approximately 50-60% of patients with TC have cervical lymph node metastasis at diagnosis[6], which not only reduces the overall survival time and quality of life of patients, but also greatly increases their treatment burden. Early metastasis of TC is an important obstacle to improve the prognosis of patients. Therefore, clarifying the molecular mechanism of TC lymph node metastasis, searching for relevant molecular markers and effective therapeutic targets, are essential for predicting early metastasis and implementing personalized treatment for patients.

Many studies have demonstrated that long non-coding RNA (lncRNA) can promote the proliferation, invasion, and metastasis of tumor cells by regulating cell signaling pathways[7], [8]. Multiple lncRNAs have been identified as participant in the lymph node metastasis of thyroid cancer. Li et al. discovered that lncRNA HOTAIRM1 regulates cell proliferation and the metastasis of thyroid cancer by targeting Wnt10b[9]. Additionally, another study showed that the upregulation of lncRNA ZNF674-AS1 inhibits the invasion and metastasis of TC[10]. To comprehensively analyze lncRNAs associated with lymph node metastasis in TC, this study utilized public databases to investigate the impact of lncRNA on lymph node metastasis and other clinical features of TC, as well as its potential relationship with the survival of TC patients.