Papillary thyroid cancer is the most common type of thyroid cancer. Based on the histological features, papillary carcinoma is a differentiated type of cancer. For differentiated thyroid cancer is usually curable. In general, the 10-year survival rate after surgery for papillary carcinoma is nearly 90%. Papillary carcinoma accounts for about 70%-90% of all thyroid cancers, which are better differentiated and less malignant, of which those ≤1.0 cm in diameter are called microscopic carcinomas, usually solitary, but can also present as multiple foci. The disease is characterized by the tendency of cervical lymph node metastasis, and less frequent hematogenous metastasis, generally 4%-8%, with pulmonary metastasis being the most common, followed by bone. Generally, papillary carcinoma can occur at any age, and it can occur in both men and women, but it is common in young and middle-aged women, and the peak age of incidence is 20-40 years old. Moreover, women generally have a better prognosis than men, but there is no significant difference. In addition, both domestic and international reports suggest that the prognosis is worse for those older than 40 years. The younger the age, the better the prognosis. Although the incidence of thyroid cancer is gradually increasing, its mortality rate is decreasing, which is mainly attributed to the early diagnosis of the disease and the improvement of management methods. Surgery is the first choice for the treatment of thyroid cancer, with emphasis on complete removal of the tumor and metastatic lymph nodes and protection of the parathyroid glands and the laryngeal nerve. Lobectomy with isthmus and lymph node dissection in area VI is the minimum surgical procedure for unilateral thyroid cancer treatment. Total thyroidectomy should be performed when the lesion involves both lobes. In conclusion, papillary thyroid cancer is usually curable due to its good differentiation and low malignancy, and its 10-year survival rate is nearly 90%.