The progressive development of breast cancer can be invaded lymphatic metastasis to its lymphatic drainage area. Among them, the most common site is the ipsilateral axillary lymph node metastasis in lymph nodes.
Lymph nodes often by small and gradually increase the number of lymph nodes by a small gradual increase in the beginning, swollen lymph nodes can promote the final integration with each other and fixed. Swollen lymph nodes, if violated, oppressed axillary vein ipsilateral upper extremity edema can often; such as invasion and shoulder pain caused by brachial plexus nerve. Check the axillary lymph nodes should be relaxed so that limb as far as possible, so that the top can be palpable axillary. Swollen lymph nodes still need to pay attention if touched on the number of lymph nodes, size, texture, surface activity and their situation in order and inflammation, tuberculosis phase identification.
Less than if the breast lump and axillary lymph nodes in order to come to consult a doctor as the first symptom is relatively small, when the axillary lymph nodes, pathology proved to be metastatic cancer, in addition to carefully check the lymphatic drainage outside the region, yet to be excluded lung and digestive tract tumors. If the pathological tips are metastatic adenocarcinoma, pay attention to “occult breast cancer” may be. At this point, many failed to find breast lesions, mammography may help diagnosis. Lymph node-line hormone receptor determination, if positive, even if the examinations have failed to find the breast lesion, still have to consider the source of breast cancer.
May apply to the same side of breast cancer axillary lymph node metastases, but also through the anterior chest wall and internal mammary lymph network traffic with each other to the contralateral axillary lymph node metastasis, the incidence is about 5%. In addition, the advanced breast cancer can still have ipsilateral supraclavicular lymph node metastasis, and even contralateral supraclavicular lymph node metastasis.
