Answer:
Dear Samantha,
Nearly
half of breast cancer survivors are plagued by persistent pain years
after cancer surgery.
It is
not unusual for a person to have sensation changes, discomfort, or
even pain following a procedure such as surgery.
It is
possible for scar tissue to form as a result of the procedure.
Postsurgical
pain can stem from nerve damage during the operation or from compression
injury to certain nerves that can accompany lymphedema. The cause
can even be a second primary tumor .
Pain
two to three years later is most common for younger women and those
who had axillary lymph node dissection.
Radiation,
but not chemotherapy, is associated with an increased risk for persistent
pain.
Persistent
postsurgical pain occurs in 10% to 50% of patients, who undergo common
surgical procedures, including breast cancer surgery.
In breast
cancer, the pathogenic mechanisms are complex and might be related
to surgical technique, nerve damage, individual patient characteristics,
and the use of adjuvant therapy.
