Over the last 25 years, modifications in systemic and radiation therapy for breast cancer have led to significant reductions in the risk of regional recurrence. During the same time, surgeons have demonstrated that it is safe to forego axillary dissections for patients with low burdens of axillary lymph node disease. When these advances are added to those by reconstructive microsurgeons, the promise of reducing morbidity rates from posttreatment lymphedema seems within our grasp.
Keywords: axillary radiation; axillary reverse mapping; lymphedema; neoadjuvant therapy; sentinel lymph node.
© 2019 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.