Objective To investigate the mutation of BRAFV600E gene in patients with thyroid papillary carcinoma(PTC) with different clinical characteristics and the influencing factors of central cervical lymph node metastasis.Methods A total of 80 PTC patients admitted to the Department of Geriatrics, the Second Hospital of Lanzhou University from June 2019 to December 2021 were selected as the research subjects, samples were prepared to determine whether BRAFV600E gene mutation occurred. The BRAFV600E gene mutations in PTC patients with different clinicopathological characteristics were analyzed, and the relationship between central cervical lymph node metastasis and BRAFV600E gene mutations and related influencing factors were analyzed. Results Patients were divided into positive group (n=38) and negative group (n=42) according to whether BRAFV600E gene mutation occurred. The tumor size in the positive group was larger than that in the negative group, and the number of multifocal tumors, envelope invasion,central lymph node metastasis and unilateral lymph node metastasis in the positive group were higher than those in the negative group, the differences were statistically significant (P<0.05). According to whether the cervical lymph nodes in the central region metastasized, they were divided into metastasis group (n=20) and non metastasis group (n=9). The tumor size in the metastasis group was larger than that in the non metastasis group, and the incidence of bilateral tumors,multifocal tumors, capsule invasion and BRAF gene metastasis were higher than those in the non metastasis group, the differences were statistically significant (P<0.05). Multivariate logistic analysis showed that multifocal tumor, envelope invasion and BRAFV600E gene mutation were independent risk factors for cervical lymph node metastasis in the central region of PTC (P<0.05). Conclusion PTC tumor size, multifocal tumor, envelope invasion and BRAFV600E gene mutation can effectively predict central cervical lymph node metastasis. Preventive central lymph node dissection should be paid attention to in the formulation of surgical plan.