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A Quantitative Sensory Testing Paradigm to Obtain Measures of Pain Processing in Patients Undergoing Breast Cancer Surgery
Published on: January 18, 2018
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Quality of Life Evaluation Using Questionnaires in Breast Cancer Patients after Surgery: A Systematic Review
Chirurgia (Bucharest, Romania : 1990)
|January 14, 2026
Summary
Breast cancer surgery impacts quality of life (QoL). Breast-conserving surgery and reconstruction improve QoL, with oncoplastic surgery enhancing body image and autologous reconstruction offering higher satisfaction.
Area of Science:
- Oncology
- Surgical Oncology
- Quality of Life Research
Background:
- Breast cancer is a leading global malignancy in women, with surgery being a primary treatment modality.
- Despite advances, patient quality of life (QoL) post-surgery remains a critical concern.
- Patient-reported outcomes (PROs) are essential for evaluating the impact of different surgical approaches on QoL.
Purpose of the Study:
- To systematically review and synthesize evidence on QoL outcomes following various breast cancer surgical procedures.
- To focus on patient-reported outcomes (PROs) to assess the impact on physical, emotional, and psychosocial well-being.
- To compare QoL results across breast-conserving surgery, mastectomy with reconstruction, and oncoplastic techniques.
Main Methods:
- A systematic literature search was conducted in PubMed, Scopus, and Web of Science (January 2022–May 2025).
- English-language studies utilizing validated Patient-Reported Outcome Measures (PROMs) for breast cancer QoL were included.
- Seventeen studies were selected and independently reviewed by two authors.
Main Results:
- Breast-conserving surgery showed better body image and emotional functioning (EORTC QLQ-C30, BR23).
- Mastectomy without reconstruction led to persistent sexual dysfunction in 40-60% of patients.
- Reconstruction improved physical/mental health (SF-36, FACT-B), but 31% remained below functional thresholds.
- Autologous reconstruction yielded higher satisfaction and psychosocial well-being (BREAST-Q) than implant-based reconstruction.
- Oncoplastic surgery significantly improved satisfaction with breast appearance (90%) compared to wide local excision (75%) (BREAST-Q BCT scores).
Conclusions:
- Breast-conserving surgery or post-mastectomy reconstruction enhances QoL compared to mastectomy alone.
- Oncoplastic breast surgery offers superior body image outcomes versus conventional wide local excision.
- Autologous reconstruction provides greater patient satisfaction but involves a higher complication risk than implant reconstruction.
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