Home > Cancer and Treatments > Breast Cancer > Breast Cancer Treatment > Surgery

Breast Cancer Treatment

Surgery: Axillary Lymph Node Dissection

Learning whether or not cancer is present in the lymph nodes under the arm is an important factor in selecting additional therapy. Knowing whether there is cancer in the lymph nodes and how many nodes have cancer in them can help you and your doctor decide whether chemotherapy or radiation therapy may be beneficial, and what type of chemotherapy would be appropriate. In addition, if there is cancer in the lymph nodes, getting rid of that cancer is useful.

Traditionally, if your breast cancer is invasive, your surgeon will recommend an axillary lymph node dissection. During an axillary lymph node dissection, the surgeon makes an incision under your arm (in your armpit) and removes the fatty tissue where the lymph nodes are located. When done in combination with a mastectomy (known as a modified radical mastectomy), a second incision is not necessary.

What are the side effects of an axillary lymph node dissection?

Approximately 5% to 10% percent of the patients who undergo an axillary lymph node dissection experience chronic problems related to the dissection, such as arm swelling (lymphedema), or pain or discomfort in the area of the dissection.

There are nerves that run through this tissue where the lymph nodes are located that provide sensation to the upper inner arm skin. In most cases, these nerves are injured during the surgery, thus many women will have a numbness of the upper inner arm skin. Almost all women will have some residual numbness under the inside of the arm. This does not bother the majority of women, but a small percentage can have a burning or dull pain in this region.

Some of the other complications associated with this type of lymph node removal include:

• Temporary or permanent limitations in arm and shoulder movement after surgery
• Infection of the surgical area
• Accumulation of blood in the surgical area (hematoma)
• Accumulation of clear fluid in the surgical area (seroma)

back to top