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Persistent Pain after Mastectomy: Risk Factors - Part II


1- Preoperative Factors 
(Kehlet et al. Persistent Pain After Breast Cancer Treatment: A Critical Review of Risk Factors and Strategies for Prevention. The Journal of Pain, Vol 12, No 7 (July), 2011: pp 725-746)
Young  age: Aggressive nature of the tumor, rate of recurrence
ObesityChallenging axillary dissection  (more fatty tissue)
Ethnicity and psychological factors
Preop pain in the breast and/or in other locations: Indicate a state of higher pain sensitivity
Genetics: Susceptibility to chronic pain following nerve injury is genetically affected by CACNG2  (Genome Res, 2010)

2-Intraoperative factors
Mastectomy vs breast conservative SurgeryNo conclusive results in favor of one of these surgeries. Importance of  the association with radiotherapy
Axillary lymph node dissection vs Sentinel lymph node biopsyMore pain in ALND due to surgical damage to ICBN.  Breast reconstruction with implants after mastectomy Intercostobrachial nerve damage: Main cause       
Intercostobrachial nerve damage: Main cause.        

3 - Postoperative Factors
§Adjuvant therapy:
     Radiotherapy:  timing and type. 
     The location of the radio field is also important. Axilla → Brachial plexopathy
     Chemotherapy induced neurotoxicity
§Complications of surgery: Infection, hematoma, lymphedema 
§Acute pain: Positive correlation between the intensity of acute postsurgical pain and the development of chronic pain (4 out of 15 studies)
§Treatment of acute postop pain: (24 sudies)
     Few studies have correlated the use of pain treatment to persistent pain in their analysis       
  


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