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Cited by 908Cancer survivorship and careAnesthesia and Pain ManagementBreast Cancer Treatment Studies

The DOI matches its Crossref record; 36 of the 36 references it cites were found in a registry or an index.

Prevalence of and Factors Associated With Persistent Pain Following Breast Cancer Surgery

Gärtner, Rune, Jensen, Maj-Britt, Nielsen, Jeanette, Ewertz, Marianne, Kroman, Niels, Kehlet, Henrik·2009·JAMA
DOI 10.1001/jama.2009.1568
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Abstract

CONTEXT: Persistent pain and sensory disturbances following surgical treatment for breast cancer is a significant clinical problem. The pathogenic mechanisms are complex and may be related to patient characteristics, surgical technique, and adjuvant therapy. OBJECTIVE: To examine prevalence of and factors associated with persistent pain after surgical treatment for breast cancer. DESIGN, SETTING, AND PATIENTS: A nationwide cross-sectional questionnaire study of 3754 women aged 18 to 70 years who received surgery and adjuvant therapy (if indicated) for primary breast cancer in Denmark between January 1, 2005, and December 31, 2006. A study questionnaire was sent to the women between January and April 2008. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Prevalence, location, and severity of persistent pain and sensory disturbances in 12 well-defined treatment groups assessed an average of 26 months after surgery, and adjusted odds ratio (OR) of reported pain and sensory disturbances with respect to age, surgical technique, chemotherapy, and radiotherapy. RESULTS: By June 2008, 3253 of 3754 eligible women (87%) returned the questionnaire. A total of 1543 patients (47%) reported pain, of whom 201 (13%) had severe pain, 595 (39%) had moderate pain, and 733 (48%) had light pain. Factors associated with chronic pain included young age (18-39 years: OR, 3.62; 95% confidence interval [CI], 2.25-5.82; P < .001) and adjuvant radiotherapy (OR, 1.50; 95% CI, 1.08-2.07; P = .03), but not chemotherapy (OR, 1.01; 95% CI, 0.85-1.21; P = .91). Axillary lymph node dissection (ALND) was associated with increased likelihood of pain (OR, 1.77; 95% CI, 1.43-2.19; P < .001) compared with sentinel lymph node dissection. Risk of sensory disturbances was associated with young age (18-39 years: OR, 5.00; 95% CI, 2.87-8.69; P < .001) and ALND (OR, 4.97; 95% CI, 3.92-6.30; P < .001). Pain complaints from other parts of the body were associated with increased risk of pain in the surgical area (P < .001). A total of 306 patients (20%) with pain had contacted a physician within the prior 3 months for pain complaints in the surgical area. CONCLUSION: Two to 3 years after breast cancer treatment, persistent pain and sensory disturbances remain clinically significant problems among Danish women who received surgery in 2005 and 2006.

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Metadata

Authors
Gärtner, R., Jensen, M.-B., Nielsen, J., Ewertz, M., Kroman, N., & Kehlet, H.
Affiliations
University of Copenhagen (DK)
Corresponding author
Gärtner, Rune
ORCID
Venue
JAMA
Publisher
American Medical Association (AMA)
Published
2009-11-11
Volume
302
Issue
18
Pages
1985
ISSN
  • 0002-9955 (ISSN-L)
  • 0098-7484
DOI
10.1001/jama.2009.1568
OpenAlex
W1981701335
Cited by
908
References
36
Citations by year
2026: 36 · 2025: 53 · 2024: 51 · 2023: 56 · 2022: 69 · 2021: 59 · 2020: 70 · 2019: 53 · 2018: 63 · 2017: 66 · 2016: 50 · 2015: 43 · 2014: 60 · 2013: 65 · 2012: 47
FWCI
18.97
Type
journal article
Language
en
Open access
closed
Locations
  • JAMA (publishedVersion)
  • PubMed (publishedVersion)
  • University of Southern Denmark Research Portal (University of Southern Denmark) (publishedVersion)
  • Research at the University of Copenhagen (University of Copenhagen) (submittedVersion)
Topics
  • Health Sciences › Medicine › Oncology › Cancer survivorship and care
  • Health Sciences › Medicine › Anesthesiology and Pain Medicine › Anesthesia and Pain Management
  • Life Sciences › Biochemistry, Genetics and Molecular Biology › Cancer Research › Breast Cancer Treatment Studies
Keywords
chronic pain, breast cancer surgery, sensory disturbances, axillary lymph node dissection, sentinel lymph node dissection, adjuvant radiotherapy, adjuvant chemotherapy, postoperative pain, young age, prevalence, risk factors, breast cancer survivors, breast-conserving surgery, mastectomy, lymphocele, lymphedema
MeSH terms
Adolescent, Adult, Aged, Breast Neoplasms, Chronic Disease, Combined Modality Therapy, Cross-Sectional Studies, Female, Humans, Mastectomy, Middle Aged, Pain, Pain Measurement, Postoperative Pain, Surveys and Questionnaires, Registries, Risk Factors, Prevalence, Young Adult

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