Lymphatic drainage of the breast on and through the pectoral muscles: Importance in breast cancer

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Abstract
As proponent of lesser procedures have called into question the necessity of removing the pectoral muscles in surgery for cancer of the breast, there has been a need to establish accurately the relationship of the lymphatics to the pectoral muscles and their fascia. This problem has been approached using the technique of high resolution autoradiography. After histologic review of pectoral muscles from rabbits into whom a tritiated high-molecular-weight dextran was injected subareloarly, a high degree of labeling was found deep within the septa of the pectoral muscle bundles as well as along the investing fascia. It was concluded that lymphatic draining mammary lymph pass deep within the pectoral muscles in this species.