Issues in breast cancer with minimal nodal involvement.

An overview of the literature pertaining to the mortality risks posed by breast cancers with micrometastases or isolated tumor cells found in the lymph nodes is presented. Also addressed is the current debate about the appropriateness of omitting a completion axillary node dissection when minimal disease has been detected via sentinel node immunohistochemistry. A companion article will present an analysis of survival data generated by one particular study of women with microscopic nodal involvement vs those with macroscopic involvement and those with no nodal disease.