title: Simple mastectomy and pectoral node biopsy.
abstract: Evidence is presented to support the view that biopsy of the pectoral and axillary tail nodes obtained at simple (total) mastectomy gives a reliable estimate of axillary node status. The technique is described.
mesh_terms: D001365:Axilla; D001706:Biopsy / Q000379:methods; D001943:Breast Neoplasms / Q000601:surgery*; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D008198:Lymph Nodes / Q000473:pathology*; D008207:Lymphatic Metastasis / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000473:pathology; D008408:Mastectomy / Q000379:methods*