The statement '75% of the lymph from the mammary gland drain into the parasternal lymph nodes, and 25% drains into the axillary lymph nodes' is:

• A. True
• B. False
• C. It drains 60% to parasternal and 40% to axillary
• D. It drains 100% to axillary

Answer: (A)

Lymph from the breast is routed to two main regional node groups: the axillary nodes and the parasternal (internal thoracic) nodes. Medial portions of the breast tend to drain toward the parasternal chain, while lateral portions drain more toward the axillary chain. In some teaching materials, the distribution is stated as about 75% to the parasternal nodes and about 25% to the axillary nodes. This framing reflects the idea that a substantial portion of breast lymph flows to the internal thoracic (parasternal) pathway, with a smaller portion going to the axillary pathway. That’s why the statement is considered true in this context. In practice, you’ll also encounter variation depending on the breast quadrant and individual anatomy, and some drainage can occur to other groups like supraclavicular nodes, but the cited distribution aligns with the material’s guidance on breast lymph drainage.