Axillary lymph nodes

The axillary lymph nodes or armpit lymph nodes (20 to 30 in number) drain lymph vessels from the lateral quadrants of the breast, the superficial lymph vessels from the walls of the chest and the abdomen above the level of the navel, and the vessels from the upper limb. They are divided in several groups according to their location in the armpit. These lymph nodes are clinically significant in breast cancer, and metastases from the breast to the axillary lymph nodes are considered in the staging of the disease.