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Updated: Nov 22, 2025
A Quantitative Sensory Testing Paradigm to Obtain Measures of Pain Processing in Patients Undergoing Breast Cancer Surgery
Published on: January 18, 2018
Pain mapping and characteristics in breast cancer survivors during task-oriented training: analysis at 3, 6, and
Bruna Baungarten Hugen Back1, Kamilla Zomkowski2, Mariana Dos Santos Hermes1
1Health and Sports Science Center - CEFID, Universidade Do Estado de Santa Catarina - UDESC, Rua Pascoal Simone, 358 - Coqueiros, Florianópolis, SC, 88080-350, Brazil.
Purpose:
To evaluate the frequency and characteristics of trunk and upper limb pain in women diagnosed with breast cancer, in different movement planes, during task-oriented training (TOT) 3, 6, and 9 months after surgery.
Methods:
A prospective cohort study with 20 women. The body pain diagram (BPD), VAS, and McGill questionnaire were used. The TOT consisted of 20 exercises based on the Disabilities of the Arm, Shoulder and Hand Questionnaire (DASH) questionnaire. BPD overlay was performed in GIMP® image editor. The chi-square test was applied to the relationship between population characteristics and pain. Freedman's ANOVA and the Cochran's Q test were used in the comparison of pain site frequencies and intensity over time.
Results:
In total, 297 BPDs were generated, which identified the affected upper limb as the body area with the highest frequency of pain at the three moments. However, at 9 months, the unaffected upper limb presented the same frequency as the affected limb. Radiotherapy presented a statistically significant relationship (p < 0.05) with pain at 9 months. The pain was characterized as moderate at the three moments, affective at 3 and 6 months, and sensory at 9 months.
Conclusion:
The most frequent area of pain at 3 and 6 months was the affected upper limb however, at 9 months, the unaffected upper limb presented the same frequency of pain as the affected upper limb. Pain was characterized as moderate at the three evaluation moments.
