Axillary nodes

Looks like

20 to 30 nodes in the fat of the armpit, arranged in groups along the axillary vessels.

What it does

Filter lymph from the arm, the breast and the chest and upper back wall.

Keeping it well

Breast cancer spreads here first; sentinel node biopsy checks it. Removing many nodes can cause arm swelling (lymphoedema).

Its parts

• Anterior axillary nodes
• Apical axillary nodes
• Central axillary nodes
• Lateral axillary nodes
• Posterior axillary nodes

Related conditions

• Breast cancer
• Cat-scratch disease
• Frozen shoulder (adhesive capsulitis)
• Male breast cancer
• Polymyalgia rheumatica
• Shoulder dislocation