Frequency and Risk Factors for Post Mastectomy Pain Syndrome [PMPS] in Female Breast Cancer patients

Abstract

Post mastectomy pain syndrome is one of the most common complications after axillary surgery for breast cancer. PMPS is considered a neuropathic pain and is thought to be caused by a variety of pre-operative, intraoperative and postoperative risk factors. In this study all post operative patients for breast cancer were interviewed at follow-up visits for symptoms of pain according to DN4 neuropathic pain score questionnaire and VAS scale for pain intensity. A total of 97 patients were included according to inclusion criteria. Among them 24(24.74%) patients were having PMPS and 73(77.06%) were having no PMPS. Among risk factors, ALND was found to be the most important risk factor for development of PMPS. In most patients the pain was mild in intensity according to VAS scale. And site of the pain was mostly found to be ipsilateral chest wall and axilla and majority of patients pin responded to simple NSAIDS and Arm exercises. Keywords: Breast cancer, mastectomy, pain