The incidence of chronic postmastektomi pain after breast cancer surgery: A retrospective study

In this study, patients who underwent a mastectomy operation at the Department of General Surgery of the Faculty of Medicine between January 1998 and June 2013 were investigated and aimed at determining the incidence of CPP. The impact of pain on daily activities, the progress, severity and characteristics of CPP, life and use of analgesics were investigated. The demographical data of 135 patients including the type of surgical intervention and date of operation and other variables obtained from patient charts. 24 patients could not be reached (%17.8) and 12 patients died from breast cancer. 99 patients were included and reached by phone (%73.3). Sixteen of the 99 patients reported that they had pain associated with the mastectomy. The incidence of CPP was 16.2% in patients with whom were interviwed. The answers obtained from the Pain Questionnaire revealed that 50% of the patients had mild CPP, 37.5% had moderate pain and 12.5% had severe pain. Some of the patients in this group (87,5%) stated that their pain decreased in time. Nearly 56.25% of the patients were using analgesics for their pain. The rate of neuropathic pain symptoms varied between 25% and 81.25% in this study. Although patients pain decreased in time, it still restricted some of the patients daily activities. Diagnosis of the breast cancer in early stages, performing minimal invasive surgical procedures and maintaining psychosocial treatments for patients; may decrese the rate of CPP.