Axillary reverse mapping for preventing lymphedema in axillary lymph node dissection and/or sentinel lymph node biopsy

Abstract

The Japanese Breast Cancer Society 2009 Axillary lymph node dissection (ALND) is a standard surgical treatment in patients with involved axillary lymph nodes. Unfortunately, arm lymphedema develops in 2.7– 5.0% of patients treated by partial ALND (level I and II), in 3.1–9.6% of those undergoing total ALND, and in 26– 38% of patients treated with ALND and radiotherapy [1]. The risk of lymphedema is often used as an argument against ALND. Currently, sentinel lymph node (SLN) biopsy has become a highly utilized and widely accepted method for surgical staging of axillary lymph nodes in breast cancer. It can avoid an unnecessary ALND in patients with node-negative breast cancer, thereby pre