Management of the Axilla in Early Breast Cancer

Management of the axilla in early breast cancer patients has significantly evolved in the last several decades. With the arrival of the sentinel lymph node biopsy, surgical practice for axillary staging in patients with early breast cancer has become gradually less invasive and formal axillary lymph node dissection has been confined to selected patients. Over the last two decades, evidence from randomized clinical trials have allowed for the de-escalation of axillary surgery in the management of early stage breast cancer. Advances in the staging and treatment of the axilla constitute a key component in determining initial surgical planning and therapeutic strategies in the treatment of early breast cancer. This chapter provides an updated review on the history, evolution, and current practices for axillary management in patients with early breast cancer, with particular attention to the surgical recommendations and controversial scenarios of the evolving management of the axilla.