AXILLARY MICRO-METASTASIS AND MACRO-METASTASIS IN CARCINOMA OF BREAST

Abstract

A retrospective analysis was made of 105 patients with primary operable carcinoma of the breast with positive axillary nodes who were observed for a 14 yr period after radical mastectomy. Patients with micrometastases alone, especially if only level I is involved, have a good prognosis with 85 and 77% survival rates at 10 and 14 yr, respectively. No patients had > 3 micrometastases. Patients with 4 or more positive nodes have a worse prognosis than those with 3 or less positive nodes. Macrometastases at any level carry a poor prognosis. Since these data show no significant difference between the 10 and 14 yr survival rates, the 10 yr survival rate is a valid one for long term evaluation of the treatment of carcinoma of the breast.