How Much Is Enough? The Continuing Debate on the Axillary Lymph Node Dissection in Breast Cancer

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Veronica C Shim, MD, FACS

Spring 2007 - Volume 11 Number 2

https://doi.org/10.7812/TPP/06-085

Since the Halsted radical mastectomy was introduced in 1894,1 breast cancer treatment has undergone major changes. More than a century later, breast conserving surgery is now accepted in the treatment armamentarium of early breast cancer. However, the role of axillary lymph node dissection (ALND) in breast cancer treatment continues to be controversial. The persistent question in this debate is whether we should abandon axillary lymph node evaluation in breast cancer management; I believe we cannot.