Quantitation of the axillary lymphoid tissue in women without cancer.

The number and distribution of nodes in the axilla of non-cancer autopsy patients was similar in women over and under 75 years of age, but the total area of nodal tissue was greater in the latter, suggesting a possible decrease in immune reactivity with age. Fewer nodes were found than have been reported in breast cancer patients examined by the same method. This is probably due to increase in size of sub-macroscopic nodelets on stimulation.