According to the literature, 25%-60% of women treated for breast cancer, regardless of the stage, experience pain. Many risk factors have been suggested, with many possible confounding factors.
The aim was to investigate psychosocial, surgical, and medical factors associated with chronic pain by comparing breast cancer survivors with chronic pain with survivors without chronic pain. In addition, we investigated the prevalence, intensity, and body location of chronic pain after breast cancer treatment nationwide.
A nationwide postal survey of 1332 women who received surgery and adjuvant therapy for breast cancer in Norway two to six years before the onset of this study.
A total of 832 women (63%) returned the questionnaires, and 41% reported pain, of which 51% had mild, 41% moderate, and 8% severe pain. Among the women who experienced pain, 33.8% reported symptoms and signs of neuropathic pain. Young age (odds ratio [OR], 0.95; 95% CI, 0.93-0.98; P