What kind of pain do you have when breast cancer has been operated on? | Pain with breast cancer

What kind of pain do you have when breast cancer has been operated on?

Modern methods of surgical removal of breast cancer tumors are relatively gentle and nowadays in most cases it is not necessary to remove the entire breast. The pain after the operation depends on the particular surgical method. In addition to breast-conserving surgery, in which only the tumor tissue and, with a certain safety margin, healthy tissue is removed, there is also the option of complete breast removal (mastectomy).

A mastectomy is a larger procedure than the breast-conserving method and is accordingly more painful. In the past, the complete breast muscle was removed during mastectomy, which meant that the pain after the operation was relatively strong. Nowadays, there are more modern methods that allow only the mammary gland tissue to be removed, leaving the breast muscle intact.

What pain is caused by chemotherapy

The pain experienced during chemotherapy to treat breast cancer depends mainly on the drugs used and their dose. Most cytostatic drugs are not specifically directed against cancer cells, but generally interfere with the cell division of fast-growing cells and thus inhibit their spread. In addition to tumor cells, fast-growing cells also include cells of the bone marrow and the mucous membranes; the side effects are correspondingly broad.

Damage to healthy tissue can sometimes cause severe pain, although the individual situation depends on the patient. Above all, damage to the mucous membranes in the gastrointestinal tract causes diarrhea, vomiting and pain. However, mucosal problems caused by chemotherapy occur less frequently in breast cancer patients than in other types of cancer.

Some substances used in chemotherapy can also cause nerve damage. Patients then continue to experience side effects, such as tingling or sensation, even after the treatment has been completed. However, nerve pain characterized by an electric shock-like, electrical pain can also occur.

What kind of pain can be expected during irradiation?

Radiotherapy involves the use of X-rays that penetrate the breast and destroy the tumor cells there. The patient does not feel the radiation itself and it does not cause any pain at first. However, since the rays kill off healthy tissue as well as cancer cells, side effects and pain can occur after the treatment.

The extent of pain caused by radiation for the treatment of breast cancer depends strongly on the patient’s general condition and the size of the tumor. In addition, the amount of the individual and total dose administered plays an important role in the occurrence of side effects. As a result of radiation, the breast can swell and become hot.

Sometimes the skin has to be irradiated as well, then slight burns and reddening of the skin (similar to sunburn) may occur, but these disappear quickly after the end of the therapy. Even days after the treatment, the breast may sometimes feel sharp and burning pain. An effective method of radiotherapy for breast cancer is the so-called “spiking” of the breast.

In this procedure, small catheters are inserted into the breast, through which the targeted radiation of the tumor is then administered. Of course, the small wounds caused by a larding of the breast also cause pain, but this method sounds more painful than it actually is.