CLINICAL CHARACTERISTICS OF POSTMASTECTOMY PAIN SYNDROME

The aim of the research. Is to assess the frequency of postmastectomy pain syndrome in patients with breast cancer who underwent radical mastectomy at the Moscow Clinical Scientific Center n. a. A.S. Loginov of the Moscow Department of Health.
Materials and methods. A retrospective, single-center, cohort study included 252 patients who underwent various modifications of radical mastectomy. Patients were surveyed after three months after surgery. Pain intensity was assessed using a Numerical Rating Scale (NRS 0-10), and the neuropathic component was identified using the painDETECT questionnaire. The obtained results were analyzed. The descriptive statistics of the data are presented in the format Me [Q1; Q3], where Me [Q1; Q3] represents the median and interquartile range.
Results. PMPS was diagnosed in 78 patients (30.95%). The median pain intensity was 5,0 [4,0; 6,0] points. The pain was most often described as aching, less often bursting or burning, localized in the area of the postoperative wound and axillary region. The median score on the painDETECT neuropathic pain scale was 15 [7,0; 18,0] points. The syndrome developed after all types of mastectomies, but the groups were not comparable in size to establish a statistically significant relationship with the surgical technique.
Conclusion. The study demonstrates that approximately one-third of patients (30,95%) develop postmastectomy pain syndrome after radical mastectomy, and its occurrence does not show a clear dependence on the specific modification of the surgical technique used. Clinically, this pain syndrome is characterized by predominantly moderate intensity and has a pronounced neuropathic component.

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