Author/Editor		Mavrič-Jovan, Olga
Title		Pain syndrome after breast cancer treatment
Type		članek
Source		In: Abstract book of the 10th reach to recovery international conference "Looking back - moving forward"; 1998 May 13-16; Ljubljana. Ljubljana: Društvo onkoloških bolnikov Slovenije,
Publication year		1998
Volume		str. 1
Language		eng
Abstract		Pain is an experience of human physical and psychological suffering. In the last twenty years medicak science explained many problems about the occurrence, transfer and perception of pain. It is still impossible to be sure to what degree it is the consequence of tissue damage or of fear, ignorance, worry and painful experience in the past. The inlluence and readiness of the society to help prevent and to cure the pain is of great importance. Though modern medicine disposes of efficient curing methods to make patients comfortable, these are not available to many who need help, unfortunately neither to women with breast cancer and chronic pain after either surgery or radiation and chemotherapy. Since there is no visible reason for pain, the physician who is told of it often says to the patient that she should accept it and live with it. This usually triggers additional stress, especially in the regions where there is no pain treatment clinics available where the patient could go for help by herself. In these institutions pain is treated multidisciplinary by specialists of different medical profiles such as: anaesthesiologists, neurologists, neurophysiologists, orthopaedists, psychologists and physiatrists. When a patient is treated by a family doctor without sufficient experience in such treatment, the effects are poorer. Family doctor usually prescribes analgesics (painkillers) which have little effect on such pain and sedatives. The patient increases the number of pills and is soon stigmatised as drug addict by her surroundings. The present curing method preserves aesthetic appearance of operated breast but additional radiation and chemotherapy damage invisibly the subcutaneous tissue and nerves. 30% of patients suffer such severe pain that otherwise healthy women become incapable to carry on with their profession. (trunc. at 2000 chars)
Descriptors		BREAST NEOPLASMS PAIN