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World J Clin Oncol. Dec 10, 2014; 5(5): 895-900
Published online Dec 10, 2014. doi: 10.5306/wjco.v5.i5.895
New concepts in axillary management of breast cancer
Can Atalay
Can Atalay, Department of General Surgery, Ankara Oncology Hospital, 06510 Emek, Ankara, Turkey
Author contributions: Atalay C solely contributed to this paper.
Correspondence to: Can Atalay, MD, PhD, Department of General Surgery, Ankara Oncology Hospital, Biskek Cad. Yesiltepe Bloklari, 4. Blok, No:11, 06510 Emek, Ankara, Turkey. atalay_can@hotmail.com
Telephone: +90-312-3360909-5452
Received: April 24, 2014
Revised: May 31, 2014
Accepted: August 27, 2014
Published online: December 10, 2014
Processing time: 230 Days and 22.7 Hours
Abstract

In the last decades, surgical treatment of breast cancer has evolved from more extensive procedures like radical mastectomy to less invasive breast conserving surgery. Similarly, surgical management of axilla has enormously changed from routine axillary dissection to sentinel lymph node biopsy. Traditional surgical approach to the axilla in case of sentinel lymph node negativity is to avoid completion axillary dissection. However, surgeons even avoid performing axillary dissection in selected patients with positive sentinel lymph node in clinical practice depending on the recent randomized controlled studies supporting this concept. All of the recent changes in the management of positive axilla necessitate surgeons to refresh their knowledge on this challenging topic.

Keywords: Breast; Cancer; Axilla; Sentinel lymph node

Core tip: In the last decades, surgical treatment of breast cancer has evolved from more extensive procedures like radical mastectomy to less invasive breast conserving surgery. Similarly, surgical management of axilla has enormously changed from routine axillary dissection to sentinel lymph node biopsy. Traditional surgical approach to the axilla in case of sentinel lymph node negativity is to avoid completion axillary dissection. However, surgeons even avoid performing axillary dissection in selected patients with positive sentinel lymph node in clinical practice depending on the recent randomized controlled studies supporting this concept. All of the recent changes in the management of positive axilla necessitate surgeons to refresh their knowledge on this challenging topic.