Axillary Lymph Node Dissection - Explained by dr. harness
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Axillary lymph node dissection is the removal of the lymph nodes in the armpit or axillary
area. The standard dissection is called a level 1 and level 2 dissection meaning that
the lymph nodes that are just lateral or outside of the major muscle area called the level
1 lymph nodes are removed as well as lymph nodes right underneath the muscle, particularly
the pectoralis minor muscle. Now the indication to do an axillary lymph node dissection are
few. Number one, if there is palpable obvious disease within the axilla we need to remove
the lymph nodes as part of local regional control. In addition, if you are having
a mastectomy and we are not going to be doing radiation therapy later on then we need to
remove the lymph nodes as well. Now one of the changes that has gone on in the whole
arena of axillary lymph node dissection is a change if you are having a lumpectomy, going
to have whole breast radiation therapy, and your lymph nodes are only positive through
a sentinel lymph node technique then in general we do not need to remove the rest of the lymph
nodes. So axillary lymph node dissection then is part of the local regional control
of the cancer in the armpit area.
