Breast cancer and axillary nodal status

We reviewed 280 patients with breast cancer to evaluate the significance of auxillary nodal status in relation to the natural course of disease. Based on axillary node involvement, we classified our patients into three groups. With negative nodes (localized phase) 73% of patients survived more than 10 years; with one to three positive nodes (latent phase) 48% of patients survived 10 years; and with massive nodal metastases (generalized phase) 20% of patients survived 10 years.