Summary

Abstract

The surgical management of the axilla in breast cancer is certainly among the most rapidly changing areas in this field of oncology. Dr. Blichert-Toft reviewed the importance of axillary lymph node staging as the dominant parameter in defining the prognosis of a breast cancer patient. Until we have better measures, planning for adjuvant therapy and stratification for clinical trial management will rely heavily on the results of axillary node dissection. He emphasized the role of local control in preventing recurrence of cancer and the ability of axillary dissection to control nodal metastases. The issue of whether such improved local control will issue in demonstrable survival advantage was discussed, but it seems clear that such a putative advantage will be of a size that a very large clinical trial would be required to address this question specifically.