Lymphatic metastasis

Lymphatic metastasis

This occurs mainly to axillary lymph nodes. Tumours from the inner half of the breast may also spread to the internal mammary nodes. Involvement of the contralateral lymph nodes in the absence of a contralateral primary represents metastatic disease ( Table 58.5 ). /uni25CF /uni25CF /uni25CF /uni2192 /uni2192 /uni2192 /uni25CF /uni25CF Alfred Armand Velpeau , 1795–1867, anatomist and surgeon, Tours, France, described cancer en cuirasse in 1838.

TABLE 58.5 Causes of contralateral axillary lymph node involvement in breast cancer. Haematogenous spread from the contralateral primary Spread of cancer from one breast to another via subdermal lymphatics in front of the sternum Spread of cancer from one breast to the other via the ipsilateral internal mammary nodes interconnecting lymphatics behind the sternum the contralateral internal mammary nodes the other breast the opposite axillary nodes Tumour developing in an epithelial embryonic cell rest trapped in a lymph node during embryonic development of a node (rare) Primary tumour of the opposite breast breast and is a sign of locally advanced the