[Basic principles and value of lymphadenectomy in breast carcinoma].

Axillary lymph node dissection combined with resection of the primary tumor remains the standard surgical treatment for invasive breast cancer. Tumor size and the extent of axillary node involvement have the greatest influence on the prognosis and are therefore the most important indicators when planning adjuvant therapy. The extent of axillary lymph node dissection in small primary tumors and the value of resecting the internal mammary nodes are still being debated. Furthermore, the importance of axillary dissection could be influenced by other recently established factors.