The AXIllary Survey Study (AXISS) on axillary treatment in clinically negative/sentinel node positive breast cancer patients

Background. Axillary lymph node dissection (ALND) is, for the time being, still the gold standard in the axillary treatment of breast cancer. Multiple studies, including the Z0011 trial, the AMAROS trial and the IBCSG 23-01 trial, have shown that in selected sentinel node positive patients the ALND could safely be omitted. However, there is some discussion internationally on whether the results of these studies should be implemented in clinical practice and to what extent. As a result, axillary treatment regimens differ internationally in patients with clinically negative/sentinel node positive breast cancer. Therefore, we have conducted this international survey to gain insight in the axillary treatment in these breast cancer patients.