Abstract: Objective：The number of axillary lymph node （ALN）metastasis is the most important prognostic factor in the patients with infiltrating breast cancer. The purpose of this study is to determine the relationship between the number of nodal metastasis and the survival time without tumor，and make it to be a sign of the breast cancer prognosis. Methods：180 cases with full breast+ALN I， II plane dissection， picked up all the LN，consecutively made 6 slices，reported the maximum gauge with pathological slice. In accordance with pN and pT results，chose the chemo-treat? ment and or or incretion treatment. Recorded the breast cancer patients' age，tumor size，ALN checked number，metastasis number. Carried out stastical analysis with t test and χ² test. Calculated the survival rate with Kaplan-Meier method，and carried out log-rank test. Results：In 180 cases，95 cases had ALNM，the occuring rate of ALNM was 53%. Among it，N0 85 cases，N1 52 cases，N2 20 cases，N3 23 cases. The number of ALNM increased as the tumor size going up. The general survival rate in 5 years without tumor was 88%，the patients without ALNM，5 years survival rate without tumor was 99%；once appeared ALNM，5 years survival rate without tumor decreased to 79% （P < 0.01） . Conclusion：The condition of axilla lymph node is an important factor to prognosis of breast cancer. The number of lymphatic metastasis and the progesterone receptor are the index for prognosis. The cutted number of lymphnode should be more than 10，for accurately judging the N level.