Whether the swollen axillary lymph nodes need surgery or not depends on the condition, some need surgery and some don’t, as follows: 1. No surgery is needed: swollen axillary lymph nodes, such as for acute lymphadenitis, at this time accompanied by acute inflammation such as swollen lymph nodes, pain and elevated inflammation index, can be treated by antibiotics, and the lymph nodes shrink or even disappear after cure, no surgery is needed. 2. Surgery is needed: such as chronic swollen lymph nodes, the decision of whether to operate is generally based on the size of the lymph nodes, and also on the organ disease in the collection range of axillary lymph nodes, such as breast cancer patients who want to have the swollen axillary lymph nodes cleared. If the lymph nodes are painlessly enlarged, no other primary disease is found, and the enlarged lymph nodes are obvious, a lymph node biopsy is needed at this time to clarify the cause and nature of the enlarged lymph nodes.