Preoperative staging of the axilla.

The article discusses the significance of preoperative staging of the axilla in the management of breast cancer with axillary metastases. It highlights axillary lymph node staging as the single most significant prognostic indicator for breast cancer. It also notes that several clinical studies have shown that axillary ultrasound (AUS) with or without fine-needle aspiration cytology (FNAC) can be used to distinguish women with axillary nodal metastases.