Mastalgia, Radiological Yield, and Psychological Burden: A Cross-Sectional Comparative Study

Area of Science:

• Oncology
• Radiology
• Psychiatry

Background:

• Mastalgia (breast pain) is a common condition with significant psychological impact.
• The relationship between clinical presentation, imaging findings, and psychological distress in mastalgia patients requires further investigation.

Purpose of the Study:

• To explore clinical, radiological, and psychological factors associated with mastalgia.
• To identify predictors of anxiety and depression in women with breast pain.

Main Methods:

• A cross-sectional study involving 151 women with mastalgia and 69 controls.
• Assessment included sociodemographics, pain characteristics, Visual Analog Scale (VAS), Beck Anxiety Inventory (BAI), and Beck Depression Inventory (BDI) scores.
• Radiological evaluation via ultrasound, mammography, or MRI; statistical analysis using univariate and multivariate regression.

Main Results:

• Women with mastalgia showed significantly higher anxiety scores (BAI) than controls; depression scores did not differ.
• Palpable breast stiffness and prior breast surgery independently predicted increased anxiety in mastalgia patients.
• Cyclic pain was found to be protective against anxiety.

Conclusions:

• Mastalgia is associated with significant psychological burden, particularly anxiety, despite often normal imaging findings.
• Clinical factors like palpable stiffness and surgical history are stronger predictors of anxiety than radiological results.
• A selective imaging approach and integrated psychological assessment are recommended for managing breast pain.